w Honolulu well?"

Prout did not; his visits there had been few and far between.

"Do you know any decent people here who could take care of my daughter
for me till I come back from my next trip?"

"No, Captain, I do not."

"Take another whisky, sir, and I'll tell you the fix I'm in. You see I'm
new to this business. I had a trading station down on one of the Ellice
Islands where I've lived for the last twenty years. This schooner came
there about six months ago, and the captain died in my house. As the
mate couldn't navigate, and I am an old shell-back, I sold out my
trading station, took charge of her, brought my daughter aboard and
filled the schooner with Line Island labourers."

"Her mother is dead, I suppose?"

Captain Courtayne coloured and shifted about in his seat. "Well, no, not
as far as I know; but, you see, down there in the south-east a man has
to change his wives occasionally. For instance, if you marry a Samoa
girl you must live in Samoa; she won't leave there to go and live on
Nanomea or Vaitupu, where the people have different ideas and customs.
And, as we poor traders have to shift about from one island to another
sometimes, we can't afford to study a woman's whims."

Prout grasped the situation at once. "I see; your daughter, then, is
your child by a former wife?"

"Just so. Her mother was a Hervey Island half-caste whom I married when
I was trading on Manhiki. We drifted apart somehow--perhaps it was my
fault. I was a careless, hard-drinking man in those days. But, here I
am telling you a lot of things that don't interest you, when I ought to
tell you at once what it is I thought you might help me with. You see,
Mr. Prout, my little Marie has lived with me all her life. Since she was
five years old she has never left me for a day, and I've done my best to
educate her. She's as good and true as gold, and this is what troubles
me--I don't want to take her away again in the schooner if I can help
it. Do you think--do you know--of any English or American family here
that would take her to live with them till I return from this voyage?
I'm willing to pay well for her keep."

Prout shook his head. "I should advise you to take her back with you,
Captain. How old is she?"

The captain went to the companion-way and called out:

"Marie."

"Yes, father," answered a girl's soft voice.

"Come below a minute."

Prout heard some one getting out of a hammock that was slung over the
skylight, and p