* Cowries.
Roka himself ran off, picked up the hat and shells and brought them back; then he gave the word to march.
Half-way through the forest they were met by Atkins and Tessa, who were accompanied by the entire population of the village, except those of the young men who had set off in pursuit of Hendry.
“I'm all right, Tessa,” said Harvey; “it's only a broken bone. Atkins, old man, don't look so worried. You can set it easily enough. Good man, you've brought some rum, I see, and 'I willna say no,' as poor Morrison used to say.”
Atkins, whose hand was shaking with excitement, for he thought that perhaps Harvey was mortally wounded and was only assuming cheerfulness, gave him a stiff tot of rum.
“Here's luck to you, Atkins. Tessa dear, don't cry. Atkins will fix me up in a brace of shakes as soon as we get to the village. And look here, Tess. See what I found upon the reef.”
Long before sunset Harvey was sleeping quietly in the head-man's house, with Tessa and Maoni watching beside him. Atkins had carefully set the broken limb with broad splints of coconut-spathe; and, proud and satisfied with his work, was pacing to and fro outside the house, smoking his pipe.
Presently Latour and Malua appeared, and the Frenchman beckoned to the second mate.
“What is it, steward?”
“Huka has just come back, sir. He wants to see you. The captain is dead.”
“Thank God for that. Where did they get him?”
“Huka will tell you, sir. Here he is.”
The Savage Islander stepped forward, and raised his hand in salute, with a smile of pride upon his lips.
“I been kill him,” he said in his broken English; “I was come along back to meet Mr. Harvey, when I hear the guns. And then I see the captain come, running quick. He have Winchester in his hand, and when he see me he stop. He fire two, three times at me. Then I run up to him, and I drive my turtle spear through him, and he fall down and I put my foot on his mouth, and he die.”
Atkins slapped him on the shoulder. “Good man you, Huka! Stay here a moment, and I'll bring you a big drink of rum. Then we must go and bury both the swine.”
Three weeks later theSikianasailed into the lagoon, and the “good little Dutch skipper,” of whom Harvey had spoken, had him brought on board and placed in his bunk for the voyage to Ponapé.
“My tear Mees Tessa,” he said, “Mr. Carr haf dold me dat your fader vill gif me five hundred dollar ven ve get to Ponapé. If derSikianavas mein own ship I vould dake you und Mr. Carr and der second mate und all your natives to Ponapé for nodings; for your fader vas a good man to me, und Harvey Carr vas a good man to me ven I sailed mit him in theBelle Brandon. But you must invide old Westphalen to the wedding.”
“Indeed we shall, captain.”
“And me too, miss?” asked Atkins, with a sly twinkle in his eye.
“And you too, of course, dear, dear Atkins, so good, brave, and true. There, look, Harvey, I am going to kiss Mr. Atkins.”
“God bless you both, miss,” said the mate huskily.