, and a delighted laugh broke from the boy as he sat beside Proctor
and saw the white canvas of the barque looming up before him.

"Hush!" said Proctor, and his hand trembled as he grasped the steer-oar.
Then he drew the child to his bosom and caressed him almost fiercely.

For half an hour the barque slipped along, and Proctor sat and steered
and smoked and watched the child, who now slumbered at his feet. Then
the stars darkened over, a black cloud arose to the eastward, the wind
died away, and the mate's voice hailed him to come alongside, as a heavy
squall was coming on. "And you'll have trouble with the captain for
taking his boy in that boat," added Williams.

"Ay, ay, sir," answered Proctor, as he looked at the cloud to windward,
which was now quickly changing to a dullish grey; and then he sprang
forward and cut the tow-line with his sheath-knife.

Five minutes passed. Then came a cry of agony from the barque, as
Rothesay, who had rushed on deck at Williams's call, placed his hand on
the tow-line and began to haul it in.

"Oh, my God, Williams, the line has parted. Boat ahoy, there, where are
you?"

And then with a droning hum the squall smote the _Kate Rennie_ with
savage fury, and nearly threw her over on her beam ends; and Proctor the
Drunkard slewed the boat round and let her fly before the hissing squall
towards the dimmed outline of Bougainville.

*****

For two days the _Kate Rennie_ cruised off the northern end of
Bougainville, searching for the missing boat. Then Rothesay beat back to
Numa Numa and anchored, and carefully examined the coast with his boats.
But no trace or Proctor nor the child was ever found. Whether the boat
was dashed to pieces upon the reef or had been blown past the north end
of the island and thence out upon that wide expanse of ocean that lies
between the Solomons and New Guinea was never known, and the fete of
Proctor the Drunkard and his innocent victim will for ever remain one
of the many mysteries of the Western Pacific till the sea gives up its
dead.

A PONAPEAN CONVENANCE

"Here also, as at Yap, the youngest wives and sisters of the chiefs
visited the frigate.... Somewhat shocking at first to our feelings as
Christians.... Yet to have declined what was regarded by these simple
and amiable people as the very highest token of their regard for the
officers of the expedition, would have been bitterly resented....
And, after all, our duties to our King and Queen