"Who are you? Are you Charles Tilston?"
"Yes," answered the stranger, gazing at Dick's countenance; "and you are
my brother Dick, whom I have come to look for."
"Yes, I am Dick," was the answer. "Oh, Charlie, I should never have
forgiven myself if you had lost your life, for it was I, from what you
tell me, who brought you out here."
"You will have plenty of time to talk about this by-and-by," said Harry.
"Let me advise you at once to go to bed."
Charles Tilston acknowledged the wisdom of this advice, and Harry and
old Tom assisting to get off his clothes put him into my berth, when
having swallowed some warm broth he fell fast asleep. Dick begged that
he might be allowed to remain and watch over him, promising not to speak
again till he saw that his brother was sufficiently recovered to enter
into conversation. As Harry thought a doctor should see our guest he
sent me on shore to procure the services of one who had a short time
before landed from a whaler. While I was waiting for him Toa landed,
and was received with loud acclamations by all the people, the account
of his having so gallantly saved the child being the theme of
conversation.
As Harry was now only waiting for a breeze to sail, thinking that I
might not see Toa again, I bade him farewell, and thanked him for having
saved my life.
"I must come and see you to-morrow morning," he said. "You will not
sail till then, as there will be no wind to carry you out. And now, my
friend, I have a favour to ask, I must beg you to tell the fair Pearl of
the Ocean that her figure has ever been present before my eyes, that her
voice has rung in my ear, that my thoughts have been occupied with her,
and her alone, ever since I saw her."
"I will not fail to deliver your message," I answered. "But I must
remind you of what my brother said, and you must not be disappointed
should she decline your offer." I flattered myself that I had made a
very diplomatic reply, but the young chief did not look at all satisfied
as I wished him good-bye.
I returned on board with the doctor, who prescribed for Charles Tilston,
and said he had little doubt that he would soon come round. I did not
fail to give Fanny the chiefs message. She and Mary laughed heartily.
"I must not tamper with his affections," she said, "but I cannot
possibly encourage him, and I think that when he comes on board again it
will be better for me not to appear."
Mary and I agreed with her, and it was settled that she should remain in
the cabin when Toa paid his farewell visit. In former years had a chief
conceived a similar fancy he would probably have attempted to carry off
the lady by force, but this was not likely to occur under present
circumstances. Harry, however, thought it prudent to keep a strong
watch at night on deck. It was my middle watch, and as I was looking
out across the harbour I thought I saw a fleet of canoes passing at some
distance from where we lay; still, as I felt sure that Toa would not use
any violence, this did not make me anxious. The canoes soon
disappeared, but after some time I fancied that I again saw them
hovering in the distance. Presently I heard a voice, which sounded
softly as it came over the water, singing in the Samoan language. What
was the meaning of the words I could not tell, but it struck me that
they were those of a love ditty, and that Toa had taken this method of
expressing the feelings of his heart. As Fanny was probably fast asleep
in her cabin, it would be entirely thrown away upon her, and I had no
intention of calling her up to listen to the serenade. I determined,
however, to call Harry should the canoes approach nearer; but the song
ceased, and they disappeared in the darkness.