ting Europeans, quickly retired to her room, and making
a rapid toilette, rejoined her husband, who, white umbrella in hand,
awaited her at the gate.

* * * * *

"Good morning, gentlemen," said the reverend gentleman, a few minutes
later, as, accompanied by Mrs. Deighton, he joined the three white
traders, "what vessel is it? Have you any idea?"

"None at all," answered Blount, with a short nod to Mr. Deighton, but
lifting his leaf hat to his wife, "we were just wondering ourselves.
Doesn't look like a trader--more like a gunboat."

Meantime the schooner had worked her way in through the passage, and,
surrounded by a fleet of canoes, soon brought up and anchored. Her
sails were very quickly handled, then almost as soon as she swung to her
anchor a smart, white-painted boat was lowered, and the people on shore
saw the crew haul her up to the gangway ladder.

Presently a white man, who, by his dress, was an officer of the ship,
followed by another person in a light tweed suit and straw hat, entered
the boat, which then pushed off and was headed for the shore. As she
approached nearer, the traders and the missionary could see that the
crew were light-skinned Polynesians, dressed in blue cotton jumpers,
white duck pants, and straw hats. The officer--who steered with a
steer-oar--wore a brass-bound cap and brass-buttoned jacket, and every
now and then turned to speak to the man in the tweed suit, who sat
smoking a cigar beside him.

"By jingo! she's a yacht, I believe," said Charlie Blount, who had
been keenly watching the approaching boat; "I'm off. I don't want to
be bothered with people of that sort--glorified London drapers, who ask
'Have you--ah--got good shooting heah?'"

Then turning on his heel, he raised his hat to Mrs. Deighton, nodded to
the other white men, and sauntered along the beach to his house.

"I guess Blount's kinder set again meetin' people like these," said
Burrowes, nodding in the direction of the boat and addressing himself to
Mr. and Mrs. Deighton. "Reckon they might be some all-powerful British
swells he knew when he was one himself. Guess they won't scare _me_ a
cent's worth."

"Id was brober dadt he should veel so," remarked the German; "if some
Yerman shentle-mans vas to come here und zee me dresd like vom dirty
sailor mans, den I too vould get me home to mein house und say nodings."

"My friends," said Mr. Deighton, speaking reproachfully, yet secretly
pleased at Blount's departure,