nd to be whalers in there next season,
making up northwards to the coast of Japan and Tchantar Bay."

One day they sailed slowly into a little land-locked harbour in the
Bonin Islands, and Brandon, grasping the kind-hearted skipper's hand,
bade him goodbye, and went ashore. Here, among the strange hybrid
population of natives, half-bloods, runaways from whale-ships, and
Portuguese, he found employment at boat-building, and for another three
years lived contentedly enough, working hard, and saving what little
money he could. Then came the _Oliver Cromwell_ and reported that an
English frigate which was at anchor a few miles away at another harbour
would be at his then refuge on the following day.

Without saying a word of farewell to his rough and wild associates,
he had taken his bag of honestly-earned money, and going on board the
barque at night, besought the master to give him and the boy a passage
away to any island in the Caroline or Marshall Groups at which the
vessel could conveniently land them.

At noon next morning the barque was under way, and as she rounded the
point the lofty spars of the frigate showed up scarce a mile distant,
and Brandon, with a pistol in the bosom of his shirt, sat and trembled
till the _Oliver Cromwell_ was well away from her, and the frigate's
white sails had become hull down.

For week after week the barque sailed past many a palm-shaded isle, with
its belt of gleaming beach within the fringe of beating surf, and the
brown people came out from their dwellings of thatch and shouted and
bawled to the men on the passing ship; but at none of these would the
captain land the deserter, for the natives were reputed to be savage and
treacherous to the last degree.

At last the green peaks of Kusaie which shadowed the deep waters of Lela
Harbour were sighted; and here once more the wandering man sought to
hide himself from the world.

III.

The sun was high now, and the boy Harry, now a strong,
sturdy-limbed youngster of seven, as he splashed about, called loudly to
his father to come and bathe too.

"Come, father," he called. "See, the sun is between the big and little
peaks, and to-day it is that you and I go to Utwe in the new boat."

At the sound of the boy's voice Brandon came to the door of his hut, and
stroking his bearded chin, smiled and shook his head.

"Aye, aye, Harry. Come in, boy, and eat something, and then let us away
to the king's boat-shed. To-day the peopl