rman from the
plantation," said the trader, seriously, "so you had better not go too
far away when you are shooting, unless you take a native guide with you.
For, as I have said before, these men and the people of the village
are now, I really believe, in secret friendship, or rather alliance--an
alliance born out of terror on one side and savage desperation on the
other."

A few minutes later young Flemming and the trader were being pulled
ashore.

CHAPTER V

The German manager of the great plantation proved to be, as the old
trader had said, "one of the white-men kind of Dutchmen." He received
the young supercargo most hospitably, and insisted upon his remaining to
lunch, and when Flemming told him frankly of the long quest for the four
missing men, he at once became deeply sympathetic.

"You shall see every one of the six or seven hundred natives I have
working for me, Mr. Flemming. They are all now scattered about in
different portions of the plantation, but at five o'clock, when they
knock off, I shall have them all mustered. But I am almost certain that
you will not find any one of the nine who were transferred from the
Peruvian slaver to the German 'black-birder,' for I have always taken
an interest in these people, and know pretty well from where they all
come. My predecessor here was very rough with them--the less I say about
him the better--and there is now quite a number of runaways living in
the bush. They have defied all efforts to capture them. Who they are,
and where they come from, I cannot well tell, for the former manager
never kept an accurate account of the numbers of new arrivals brought
here by the various labour vessels, nor did he specify in his books, as
he should have done, from what particular islands they came. 'Natives'
he considered to be a sufficient designation, and 'three years' or
'six years' indicated the time for which they were engaged. He left the
identification of themselves and their islands to the captains of the
various vessels which, at the end of their time, take them back again."

"I wonder if it is possible that the four men I am looking for are among
the outlaws," said Flemming.

"Possible, quite possible," replied the manager, "but you will never be
able to see them if they are. The gang is very desperate and determined,
and though they have no animus against me personally, they would shoot
me, or you, or any white man who attempted to get into communication