at he was drunk at the time, and did not remember what he was saying.
Barry accepted his apologies coldly, but avoided the man as much as
possible without being actually uncivil to him.

The Greek was soon fit for duty again, and although the crew went about
their work willingly, it was evident that they had a deep distrust of
all the officers except the chief. Warner and Rawlings daily grew more
intimate, and it was very evident to Barry that they knew a great deal
about each other, for at times, especially when he had taken too much
to drink, the former would address the captain in such an insolently
familiar manner that his dark, handsome features would pale with
suppressed passion, though he appeared not to notice the man's manner.

As the days went by the chief officer spoke less and less to those
living aft, though Barradas made several renewed efforts to break
through his reserve; but finding that he met with no response he gave
up all further attempts, and attached himself when off duty to
Rawlings, the Greek, and Warner.

CHAPTER VI.

IN ARRECIFOS LAGOON.

Just after midnight, three days later, Velo, the Samoan, who was on the
look-out, came aft to Barry and said,--

"_E manogi mai le fanua_" ("The smell of the land has come").

"Good boy, Velo," replied the mate; "keep a sharp look-out, for on such
a night as this, when the sea is smooth, and the land lies low, we
shall not hear the sound of the surf till we are right on top of it."

An hour or two later Barry called Rawlings, for right ahead of the brig
there was a low, dark streak showing upon the sea-rim, which they knew
was the outline of one of the palm-clad islets on the south side of
Arrecifos Lagoon. At daylight the _Mahina_ ran through the south-east
passage, and dropped her anchor in thirteen fathoms, close to the snowy
white beach of a palm-clad islet, on which was a village of ten or a
dozen native houses. There was, however, no sign of life visible--not
even a canoe was to be seen.

Immediately after breakfast the boats were lowered, and a brief
inspection made, not only of some of the nearest of the chain of
thirteen islands, which enclosed the spacious lagoon, but of the lagoon
itself. The islands were densely covered with coco palms, interspersed
here and there with lofty _puka_ trees, the nesting-places of countless
thousands of a small species of sooty petrel, whose discordant notes
filled the air with their clamour as Raw