newspapers as 'lazy,
la-de-da "haw-haws."' Wish I had one of those newspaper fellows on
board the _Reynard_ to show him how the much-maligned naval officer
doing patrol work in the South Seas manages to live and keep his men
from rank mutiny. Now, good-bye once more. Hope we'll all meet in
Sydney soon."

Shaking hands with Mrs. Tracey, he and Barry went on deck and took a
few turns together.

"She's a sweet little woman, Mr. Barry," said the naval officer
impulsively; "her soft, velvety eyes are like those of a girl I know in
the old country--near Swanage way. You're not a married man, are you?"

"No," replied Barry, with a laugh; "but I hope to be within a week or
so after this little brig drops her mud-hook in Sydney harbour."

"Ah! I thought so! And you deserve her! By Jove, you do! It's the
'brave knight and the beauteous woman' story over again, with the South
Seas for a setting. And she _is_ a beautiful woman! Good luck to you
both! Wish I could come to the wedding; but as I can't you must just
accept my best wishes and all that sort of thing, you know. And now
I'll have something to write about to the little girl in Dorset.
Good-bye, here's my boat alongside."

He grasped Barry's hand vigorously, and with his sword clattering on
deck and nodding a good-bye to Barradas and Joe, who stood at the
gang-way, he descended the ladder and jumped into the _Reynard's_ boat,
which at once pushed off.

A quarter of an hour later Barry and Mrs. Tracey stood watching the
gunboat as with the black smoke pouring from her long, yellow funnel
she cut through the glassy water on her way to Noumea. Long before
noon only a faint line of smoke on the southern sea-rim was visible.

* * * * * *

That night as the brig was moving quietly through the water, and
Barradas had just relieved Joe (who was now second mate), the captain
came and stood beside him, and began to speak to him in low but earnest
tones. The Spaniard listened intently, but shook his head every now
and then in dissent.

"I won't do anything like that, Captain Barry! I won't run away like a
coward. I am a Catholic and have vowed to the Holy Virgin and the
blessed Saints that I shall lead a better life. And I cannot begin
that better life by avoiding the punishment that I should endure. No,
sir, I will stick to the ship and be a man, and not a coward."

"Barradas," said Barry earnestly, placing his hand on the