That was droll perhaps, but a fact.

* * * * *

Before stretching away out into the limitless ocean again, the _Breezy_

lay for a few days at Cape Town.

Do you know Cape Town, boys, and the charming scenery around? The wild

mountains that frown over it, ablaze with greenery, and the crimson of

heaths and wild flowers, such as we in this tame domestic England can

only cultivate in our hot-houses.

The brown soil and the bare brown bluffs that peep through here and

there, only adding an extra charm to their beauty. To see these grand

old hills even at a distance and gaze up into their enchanted glens and

valleys, is something worth journeying six thousand miles to behold.

Beautiful under the midday sun, still more lovely when sunset sheds its

rainbow hues over them and over the sea; something to dream about when

the mystic moonlight tones and softens their lines. Have you seen them

at a distance? Nay, but have you wandered among them, wandered and

wondered at all you saw! Then have you in reality seen a bit of life.

A fig for some men and women, who have rushed such places, hurriedly and

excitedly "doing" them. These know no more about their true grandeur,

beauty and solemnity than does a child with a South African picture

postcard in its chubby hands.

Well, Kep asked leave to go on shore one day here, and of course

obtained it, and was permitted to take his friend Adolph with him.

They were going to have a little pic-nic all to themselves.

"Take your gun, Charlie," McTavish said, and bring me off the biggest

black snake you can find. I want to skeletonise the beggar, in order to

solve a little problem in Natural History that Mr. Wynn and I are not on

the same platform about.

They landed in a shore-boat, he and Adolph, as they wanted to be all by

themselves. Past the busy quays and docks and along through the busy

well-thronged streets--Kep loved not these, loved not civilization of

any kind. It was nature, and its wilds alone that had charms for this

strange boy.

They did not speak a deal until they got out of the suburbs, and up, up,

up to the top of a high mountain. Adolph was a little out of wind ere he

reached the summit, and had to lie down for a breather. But Kep, as

light as a lark and as hard as heather, felt fit to soar to any height.

"Oh, look around you, Adolph. Look at the sea. Doesn't its beauty

thrill you? Ah! who could settle down as a landsman, who has ever felt

the glamour of old ocean in his heart. But now, old comrade, let us eat

and drink, and then talk. It is just like old times to have you all to

myself. Do you mind the Island of Snakes, Adolphus?"

He spoke in French.

"Oui, oui," said Adolph, "and I remember the gold also. I knew when you

brought me here that you meant to speak of that. But the gold is all

yours, Kep. It was you who found it. You who dived and discovered the

treasure, and----"

"Hold one minute, comrade. That gold is not yet found. Don't forget

that; or there may be so little to find, that it may not pay the expense

of searching for it."

"Ah, but, Kep, I know you mean to try."

"Mean to? Well, yes, and I long to do so so far more now than ever. I

have had letters from home and they have stirred and subdued me. Nay,

but they have aged me. I'm a boy no longer, but a thinking,

busy-brained man."

Adolph was silent.

"My father has let and left his fine estate. He has come down in the

world, Adolph, and I fear it may break the old man's heart. He is

living by the sea which he loves so well, living in peace and quiet,

that is if a seaman-bred can ever be restful. And I fear that Madge, my

dear sister, may now think it her duty to marry a certain wealthy man

whom she hates, in order to please father. He is older far than she,

and on his death all the wealth would be hers."

"I should say she could not do better. That is my continental view of

the matter, Kep."

"Ah! but comrade, poor Madge has had a little _affaire de coeur_, which

I did not tell you. Only a child's romance."

"That might alter the case," said Adolph demurely enough now, because he

saw that Kep was very much in earnest.

"See," said the boy, "I have worn myself almost thin, brain-working and

studying, for a time to come, when I shall be great, though never

perhaps wealthy."

"What, not even if we recover those sunken millions?"

"I don't even allow these to count for anything, Adolph. Money can do

much, but it never can satisfy the longings of an ambitious boy. I

have," he added, "a double incentive now to struggle to rise. I have

always loved my father and he loves me, although we are both too Scotch

ever to have shown it. But, Adolph, I never felt I loved him half so

much as I find I now do.

"He, the quiet, the unobtrusive unselfish man, who never in all his life

lived half so much for himself as for those around him, he, a true-born

Nature's King, to be hurled from his high estate and forced to live in a

cottage. He whom--Oh, but I cannot bear to speak of it, Adolph, and I

groan in bed when I think that my conduct may have contributed extra

sorrow to his blameless life. But listen, Adolphus----"

Here the boy sprang to his feet on the mountain top, extending his right

arm heavenwards in the impressive attitude the Scottish people assume

when taking an oath--

"Young in years though I be, I shall now live for the father I have

wronged, live for him, work for him, until he is once more restored to

his princely Martello Castle. Don't smile at me even in your heart,

Adolphus. I am romantic, impulsive, foolish, but, oh comrade, I am

sincere." Then Kep became the boy again.

"I'm happier now," he said laughing. "I've found a peg to hang my

mental hat upon. I feel I have now something to live for. Come, I

shall pipe to show you I am quite recovered."

"A touch of Wagner then," said Adolph merrily, "and we'll imagine we're

back again on the island."

It was like the piping of Pan. It appeared not to come from any earthly

instrument. In the silence it seemed to stir the mountains all around.

Shrill yet poetical, as the song of the lark, or sweet and sad, like the

love notes of Philomel in his native England.

Then suddenly it ceased, and Kep threw himself down to gaze for a moment

at a white-winged ship on the blue of the far-off horizon.

"Ah! my old comrade," he said at last, "we must let our millions slumber

for a time down in old ocean's slimy bed, and when we have time we may

go in search of them. You got the latitude and longitude, didn't you,

and have written it down?"

"There it is, Kep, that is your copy; I have mine, and I keep it under

the lining of my sea-chest lid. It must neither be lost not shown to

anyone."

"True."

"Yes, true, because I have more hopes than you."

"But even should there be gold there, it is safe. No one could dream of

diving for sunken treasure in a place like that."

"I suppose," said Adolph, "you still have the bar of gold, though it was

not large, which you brought up."

"Oh! I forgot to tell you. That bit of stuff was stolen from me on

board the ship that saved us!"

"Bad news, Kep. I don't half like it. Did you suspect anyone?"

"Only that first mate. He drank on the sly, and he was the only one who

ever came in to yarn with me."

"Well, Kep, it _may_ be all right. But that evil-looking man, if ever

his mind was a moment clear, would naturally wonder where you got that

bar. It was a shelly-looking piece, and he would judge it came from the

sea-bottom, and---- Well, there are a good many 'ands,' for it is

always the improbable that happens on the ocean-wave, Kep."

"Nothing is going to trouble me," said Kep, "one way or the other. But

now come, let us be going. I've got Dr. McTavish's snake to shoot yet."

*CHAPTER XXI*

*TRAGEDY ON AN ISLAND--A CANNIBAL WITCH*

The _Breezy_ would have reached the shores of that marvel island, New

Guinea, far sooner, had she not to go south, to lonely Kerguelin, on her

voyage, to take some soundings there, and also chart some rocky bottom

on the coast of New Zealand, as well.

Kep was permitted to go down to the sea bottom sometimes by day. He

wanted to get thoroughly up to the workings of the bell. The invention

was altogether so perfect, and at the same time so simple, that he soon

mastered it.

It sunk sometimes as low as 350 feet. Strong though the plate-glass

windows were, had it sunk much lower the pressure of the water would

have smashed them, then you may judge yourself, reader, what a horrible

death those inside would have met.

It was at night, when off the New Guinea rocks, that Kep loved best to

go down. What a terrible sight it was, the illimitable marine aquarium

he saw around him. There was a silent solemnity about it that is

indescribable. And not in Dante's _Inferno_ itself could more horrible

monsters exist than those which occasionally flitted to and fro in the

glare of that submarine flash-light. Here also was beauty mingled with

the fearful, for the foliage and flowers of the deep-sea gardens waved

and moved in a thousand tints and colour, on the white sands. Sea ferns

grow here, ocean cactuses, trees and flowers and shrubs.

But there was a spice of danger down here, for great sharks, three

fathoms long, with terrifying open mouths, made for the windows, and

grabbed at Kep. They knew not what glass was, and thought that to

swallow the boy was the easiest thing in the world. When they found that

they had not succeeded, they would swish their tails about, and dash off

angry and disappointed.

Fishes with large glaring eyes and heads clad in shields of bone at

times dashed against the plate-glass. They looked like miniature

iron-clads, as they sailed towards Kep, and the marvel was that they did

not break the diving bell to pieces.

* * * * *

If you look at a good map of the world, gentle reader--by the way, _are_

you _gentle_, I wonder?--you will be able to discover at a single peep

where New Guinea is. But the map is not made yet that can show you all

the outs and ins, the gulfs and bays and locks of the island's

entrancing fore-shores.

You will look up north from Australia for New Guinea, and be surprised

at its strange, ungainly shape, its points and promontories, its immense

size, and the multitude of small islands around it on every side.

Nor'ard and west, if you wandered along its beautiful shores, north and

west and far away, you would find yourself--if you had not previously

been killed and eaten by cannibals--at McLuer inlet, or Triton Bay, or

at Cape Spencer on the shores of Dampier Strait, looking out across a

fiery blue ocean at clusters of green cocoa-nut crowned islands, on

almost any one of which you could have but little difficulty indeed in

becoming something of a real Crusoe. But after a time, I guess, it

would not be one marked footprint on the wet sand you might find, but

fifty.

You would naturally imagine then, that you were come for, and that you

were soon to figure as a cold sirloin or side-dish at a feast and wild

dance given by some Papuan chief. N.B.--The inhabitants of New Guinea

are called Papuans.

Oh dear, what a region of beauty and romance is embodied in these simple

words, "the South Sea Islands."

But if up there, you got a dhow, and went cruising west, and had the

good luck not to be eaten, and thus enjoy yourself instead of being

devoured for the enjoyment of some else, a blue shark for example, the

trip would be delightful, though dangerous. You would have plenty of

food, and the seas are studded with green islands, that appear from a

distance to be floating, like great emeralds, twixt sea and sky, so

that, when thirsty, you could go on shore, and get little black boys to

climb the tasseled trees and pitch down cocoa-nuts for you. It would be

a charming holiday, and you would not want much to wear. But in time

you would reach Celebes itself, another great spreading insect of an

island, on which many and many a terrible murder has been committed, and

many a missionary massacred.

Resuming your journey, you would in time reach Borneo. Well, by its

shores you would find that civilization and trade, and all that has made

the marvellous progress of our world, was there to greet you. You would

meet English-speaking friends there, but you would have to run up a

pretty heavy tailors' bill before you could, with any show of modesty,

visit their houses.

You've heard of the "Wild Man of Borneo"? Well, he is still up there,

among the midland mountains, and though he might still lick his lips

after eating some roast long-pig, he is now a much more respectable

member of society than when I first knew him. At that time he was a

real and terrible head-hunter. He wanted me to part with mine. I told

him I could not see where the fun came in. Then he tried to convince

me, by waving a terrible iron-spiked club. But not being used to carry

on a conversation through such a medium, I shot him through the

shoulder, and he bolted home to thrash one of his fifteen wives.

But when I last met him, he was wearing a long, somewhat shabby top-hat,

and a frock-coat without any sleeves to it. Nothing else earthly,

except his long black bare legs and his black bare arms.

He was quite chatty, too, and asked kindly after "de Breetish King ob

Englan'."

"I quite civilise now, all same," he said, and had I any rum?

Well, so far so good, and a map is a handy contrivance, but, alas! a map

tells you nothing of the magnificence of New Guinean forests, woods, and

wilds, of the heights of its ranges of mountains that are everywhere,

nor the solitary grandeur of its scenery, whether in inland glens or

mirrored in the deep bosom of its lonely lochs and bays.

The home these latter are of the strangest-looking fishes in the sea,

and millions of birds of the ocean, whose nesting places are on the

rocks, above the rocks, or in the woods themselves. Some of these

sea-gulfs, I feel sure, are haunted. I've taken a little boat and rowed

me all alone for miles up darksome inlets, o'erhung with wild woods

thickening green, but so drearily silent in the sunshine, that when I

have lain on my oars, as sailors say, not a sound could I hear except

the drip, drip, from the blades.

Yet sometimes a wild, unearthly scream would come out of the forest, so

wailing, so agonizing, that I have felt sure some terrible tragedy had

just been enacted within its darkest shades.

* * * * *

It was among such scenery as this that the gallant broadswords of the

_Breezy_ lived and laboured, surveying, charting, and learning the

tricks and manners of the vast varieties of natives we find in these

islands, but all the while keeping a good look out for British

interests.

The old days of kidnapping were then about over. If there was now any

such thing, it was on a smaller scale, just as smuggling is still

carried on around our little island at home here.

But Captain Breezy and his officers, did not forget that nearly

every-man-Jack in the ship was supposed to be studying to become a pilot

of these maritime regions.

Our men-o'-war's men are the best and most daring seamen in the world,

and so carefully are they trained, no matter should they come in the

first place from the lowest slums of Edinburgh or London, that they

become wise and thinking men. And I believe that seven month's cruising

and surveying among the South Sea Islands, and around New Guinea

generally, would enable even an ordinary seamen to pilot a ship through

the channels or along the shores.

Moreover, of so much consequence did the Admiralty consider good

sea-charts, that copies of those made were sent to the lower decks, and

the men were advised to study them, and copy them as often as they

chose. Of course, a deal of chart-making was done in the ward-room.

Kep was marvellously clever at this kind of thing, though the navigating

officer was better. On the other hand, the marine officer, or Sodjer,

was a capital sketcher in water-colours, as well as an excellent

photographer.

Many of the men made small collections of "curios," but McTavish himself

studied the geology of the coast; its flora and fauna, and its peoples.

Even their folk-lore was not neglected by him.

The language was different on almost every island; but Kep, with his

wondrous gifts, was not long in finding out, that through all there ran

a thread which, when found out, made a good clue for the study of all.

Independently of this, there were many men and women who had been

recruited here--bought and sold in fact--and who, after spending years

in Queensland, had been sent back, and getting clear for ever of the

white man's clothes and the white man's religion, returned again to the

life of a happy-go-lucky naked, or nearly naked, savage. And these

understood English.

But the cruise of the _Breezy_ had a political side as well; for the

eastern side of New Guinea belonged to Germany, the west to Britain,

with, in some places, only in the far interior, a kind of no-man's-land,

usually mountainous, between the two countries. In these inland

recesses still existed, which no white traveller had ever entered, or if

he had, was only too glad to get away again with a whole skin.

The Germans could do what they liked with their territory, they are bad

colonizers at best, but we Britons have long necks; we look into

futurity, and we see and know that, in years to come, this same island

will be a gem in the crowns of our coming kings. Even at the date of

this part of my story, 1909, the real riches of the great land was only

being discovered, its splendid agricultural districts, and above all,

its mineral wealth.

"Our surplus population," as Lieutenant Wynn well said one evening,

"needs some great outlet. We cannot be content even with Africa, and in

this far off New Guinea it yet will live and thrive."

You will note then that the _Breezy_ was not only a happy ship, but a

very busy one.

There were few places now where they could receive letters from home.

But letters were sent to England, and despatches also, by every

opportunity, and such opportunities come to ships long at sea far

oftener than landsmen would or could imagine.

It was only by overhauling mercantile vessels that any news of the

country at all could be obtained. But some of these had somewhat recent

newspapers, and what a grand gift to the _Breezy_ was a bundle of them!

They were read and re-read by the officers. Their pages were kept as

clean as the leaves of a Bible. When the ward-room officers had them

about all by heart, the warrant officers had them, and finally, the best

of the crew, who read them to their respective messmates.

The adventures of the men of the _Breezy_ were mostly those of all men

who go down to the sea in ships. But, dangers and difficulties more

numerous. They saw, during those busy nine months, every conceivable

phase of sea life. They had to battle with winds and currents,

encountered terrible storms, the life of the ship and the lives of the

crew oftentimes hanging literally on the thread of a screw, or on a

bolt.

It was the shoal water and the reefs, however, that formed the principal

danger, and these they were nearly almost among.

The savages they seldom feared, but the savages feared them, never

having seen such a strange naval monstrosity as the _Breezy_ in their

lives before. Some of the islanders, both men and women, were meek and

mild, as well as fearless, and though armed to the teeth, the men at

least, with bows and poisoned arrows, and clubs, axes and spears, it was

safe enough to mingle with them.

They would part with anything for calico, tobacco, or tinned provisions.

They surrounded the _Breezy_ in canoes laden to the gunwale with all

manner of delicious fruit and vegetables, to say nothing of edible

birds, lizards, etc., some even brought flowers.

On the other hand, they expressed themselves ready and willing to barter

their wives or daughters away, or even fine fat little baby boys, for

anything.

I never have found why savage islanders sometimes press sailors to

purchase a fat little baby boy. I suppose they fancy our fellows make

meat of such little chaps, because I've heard of one being offered in

barter along with a bunch of forest fowls, or edible lizards.

Some rather wild adventures our _Breezy_ men had among the wilder and

more treacherous of these islanders, many of them loaded with Brummagem

rifles, which, though they could carry farther than arrows, were seldom

well aimed.

But boats going in search of young cocoa-nuts, yams, and fruit, and

"yum-yums" generally, were more than once led into an ambuscade. The

_Breezy_ men had learned by experience to be suspicious of beaches on

which only children played or the belles disported their charms.

They were black sirens, and their braves were hidden in the bush not far

off, only they didn't get over Jack. Captain Breezy was ever on the

alert to avert anything that was likely to lead to bloodshed, and even

if fired upon by tribes who in all probability had good reason to hate

and fear white men, he did not retaliate, unless sailors were wounded.

But _then_, he taught the savages to respect man-o'-war's men in the

future.

They dread our firearms, but it is better to go on shore apparently

unarmed. Some savages are untameable, and the sight of a rifle, or even

a fowling piece, causes them to think they are to be attacked, and their

wives and little ones carried off. Yet it is best always to carry a

tiny revolver in your hip-pocket, presuming that you know how to hit a

haystack. The _Breezy's_ men were mostly all crack shots.

It is not so well known as it should be, that to some portions of the

territory that fringes the sea come, at times, wandering tribes from the

very far interior.

In Kanaka days, when among the Sandwich Islands kidnapping and massacre

too was common enough, the recruiters being most to blame, ships of this

sort often visited the Papuan coasts, and found great trouble from these

wandering tribes. The more peaceful 'longshore natives had nothing to

do with it. And yet, if a white man were killed, boats' crews would

land, and the real culprits having fled back into their fastnesses, take

terrible revenge.

Captain Breezy was a very patient man, but of course patience has a

limit. That limit was reached one day. An old chief begged to come on

board, to see the ship. He talked pidgin English, and had seen the

world. With him was a very handsome young lady, though, like the

heroine in "Tam o' Shanter," she wore but scanty clothing, consisting

for the most part of bangles, anklets, and beads.

He introduced her as his last new wife, and was high in her praises.

He received some presents, and so did the lady, and then he wandered

forward among the crew, and had a little gentle talkee-talkee, and the

men laughed a good deal, especially a reckless fellow, called Tom

Haslar. Tom was about the only bad hat in the ship.

He drank too, when he could find liquor, and he would and did manage to

buy their allowance from those men who did not care much for it.

Tom felt in form, as he called it, that forenoon, and full of fun.

He chaffed the chief a bit, and even dug him in the fat stomach, but

this savage seemed splendidly good-natured.

"Ah!" he returned, "you are one goodee boy. You been dlinkee--dlinkee.

You too muchee laugh now. Bymebye you muchee thlisty and sad. Savez?"

"You've been there yourself," said Tom, "my gay and reverend seignor."

"You come alonga me, Jack."

"Tom, please, Tom Haslar, at your royal highness's service!"

"Den Tom, you come along ashore? I get you plentee dlinkee. Plenty dam

goodee gin."

The boatswain's mate intimated now to the chief that his absence would

be a deal better than his company, and after a little further palaver,

he got into his dug-out and landed.

It was a cocoa-nut wooded beach, with a rather better class of

plantain-covered cottages, well back in the shade, and the natives were

supposed to be harmless.

It was very dark that night, and Tom was in the middle watch. Next

morning he was missing. He had evidently swam on shore, to complete his

orgie, enticed by the affable chief's promise.

That same chief was off in his dug-out early next morning.

"I hab Tom Haseelar," he cried, "I keep 'im fah away in de bush. Keepee

all same one hostage. What you pay me foh Tom?"

"Nothing, you scoundrel, and if he isn't returned in half an hour I will

fire your village." Thus spoke Guilford, whose watch it was.

There was plenty of bobbery and noise in the village now, and armed

savages were seen rushing about, waving their spears aloft.

It was a beautiful, but a wild scene. How white the sands, how green

the forests that climbed up the romantic glen and to the top of the

highest hills. There was the bright blue of a calm sea, a cloudless

azure sky, and every tree stem had a shadow black as night.

Another hour was spent, waiting in vain for Tom. Then the order was

given by the Captain:--

"Man and arm boats."

"May I go, sir?" said Kep.

"Most certainly."

And away the boats sped with all the way on them that lusty arms could

lend.

There was now silence in the village, a stillness indeed, that was

ominous. But fearing an ambush, Guilford advanced his men with great

caution.

Every cottage was empty. The savages had fled to the forest, nor in its

dark recesses could any trail be found visible to white men's eyes.

So the men, in some sort of skirmishing order, but almost within touch

of each other, went on and on up the wooded defile, expecting to be

attacked at any moment.

Nearly at the top of the glen, suddenly out from the black darkness of a

small cave sprang the most hideous-looking old hag of a naked savage

anyone had ever looked upon.

She stood upon a ledge of a rock, and stretched a skinny arm towards

Guilford.

"What seek you, white man?"

"Who are you, and where are the rest of the tribe?" shouted the officer.

"I one witch. I been Queensland. You not come kidnap poh Gwalee once

moh? Ha, ha, ha. I too ole now, and ugly. My tribe gone ober de sea

in big, big war canoe. You seek you white sailor? He down in de ribber

pool."

Near by, under the cliff, was a still, brown pool in the stream, and

from this was fished out poor Tom's body, the neck half severed with a

battle axe.

Poor Tom, it was his last adventure on this shore.

The island, which was not large, was searched from end to end, but no

other human body was found.

To have fired the forest could have done no good, only birds and beasts

and the old witch would have suffered. So before the sudden darkness of

a tropical night fell, the men entered the boats and shoved off.

One boat contained the remains of their unfortunate shipmate, and next

morning steam was got up, and Tom sleeps in the green depths of the

coral sea.

How quickly such things are forgotten in the Service. Tom's clothes were

sold by auction, but his ditty box and its trinkets of value, including

a letter from the lass who had loved Tom, were kept, and sent home to

England, to his old mother. These trinkets and the letter were sacred

things, they were holy, no man on board would have bought them. Then

everything went on us usual on board the _Breezy_.

*CHAPTER XXII*

*IN SLUMBERING WOODS--KEP CAPTURED BY SAVAGES*

Brawny Surgeon McTavish, and almost equally sturdy Stormalong, with Kep,

had many a ramble among the woods and hills of New Guinea. They were

collecting specimens, they were studying Nature in the concrete. God's

glorious and thrilling fantasia of woods and wilds and water and of

rolling tree-clad hills. But into the deepest darkness of the forests

they seldom penetrated, tempting though it looked. For it was not

merely bright-winged birds and strange mammals that these stately

forests gave homes to, but wandering savages, as implacably fierce as

any the world contains.

And still, as seen from the sea, these landscapes looked so peaceful and

serene, one could scarcely believed that any evil thing could dwell

therein. There was a charm to a mind like the doctor's about its very

stillness, that often lured him farther into it than it was at all times

safe to venture. Wherever he went, the others would follow.

Creeping one day through the slumbering woods and by the broad river's

banks, they came suddenly upon a somewhat elderly chief, who was seated

on a rock, with a fish net depending from a long rod. In the evening of

his days he was enjoying himself apparently at this placid sport. With

the exception of beads and bangles, and his massive crown of

feather-adorned hair, he was naked as the lizards that crawled on the

adjoining trees.

Beside him lay bow and arrows and spear, while an ugly knife was

fastened to his girdle of rope.

Our heroes had been a good ten miles into the interior that day, and

were now returning, Kep carrying specimens of flora and fauna,

Stormalong with a wild pig slung over his back.

Fishing is so civil a pastime that they at once threw down their burdens

and squatted near the fellow.

A more hideous savage Kep had not yet beheld. Tattooed all over the

body, peleles in his ears, a ring of gold attached to one nostril, and

the upper lip slit in two to show his terrible red-stained triangular

teeth.

One glance at that mouth, and his black hide spotted with red paint,

proclaimed him a cannibal.

He clutched his bunch of poisoned arrows, and started to his feet.

"Sit down, my friend," said McTavish coolly. "I could lift you by the

neck, man, and throw you across the boulders into the centre stream.

Sit down, friend, and tell me all about yourself."

This chief grumblingly obeyed.

He had in his youth been kidnapped to Queensland and knew the white

man's speech.

Strangely enough this fellow, like all who have come back from

civilization to their native fastnesses, are the fiercest and most wily

savages of all.

"What fob you callee me 'fliend'? I not lub de Engleese.

"The natives are all friends of mine."

"Ugh! Dat because you one big woman."

McTavish wore a plain grey kilt and badger-head sporran.

"By gum!" said Stormalong, laughing, "there is enough of you, sir, to

make two women instead of one."

"You big bigee woman, and lub ebery man. Dat is how. But," he went on,

"Fadder-landee[1] much more goodee as Bleetish man. Bleetish man

wuff--wuff (rough and unkind), he call me, Gobolohlo, one dam niggah.

All same Gobolohlo chief from far ober de mountain."

[1] The German Colonist.

He struck his painted chest with his fist, to show that he was

Gobolohlo, and that he wasn't to be scorned.

But McTavish appeased him with tobacco, which he began to tear and chew.

"Fadder-landee," he continued, "he come on soh (shore) in he boat. He

seek for Gobolohlo in de fah inteliol (far interior). He touch

Gobolohlo, he gibee me mooch dlink to dlink, mooch fine baccy, and so I

lub he.

"Den he say to me, Gobolohlo, he say, 'Fadder-landee not make goodee

meat. Engleese man mooch fine long-pig. Fadder-landee no goodee eat.

Taste.' Den I take he hand and lick. Foo--foo. Bad, bad.[2] But,

'poh chief,' he tellee me now. You lookee pale. All you fightee men

lookee sick. Go to de Bleetish side, and get flesh (fresh) air, you

soon be bettah after dat.

[2] This German officer had no doubt rubbed his hands with quinine. A

good idea when one visits cannibals.

"So, Gobolohlo he come back. Plenty fightee man yondeh in de bush."

Soothed by the baccy, Gobolohlo grew more communicative.

"Kill missionaly one day," he told the surgeon confidentially.

"Missionaly fly in bush to hidee he'sef. But my walliols dey soon

catchee he, and kill fo' rost. Ah dat Bleetish missionaly, he make fine

pork. Yum! yum!"

He patted his stomach as he spoke.

McTavish was a man of quick action, when he saw his duty clear before

him.

He hit that cannibal chief clean off the boulder on which he sat. And

before he woke, our heroes had bound and gagged him.

"Leave that wild pig," said the doctor quietly, "and hoist this wilder

pig on your broad back, Stormalong. Why, we've caught the very cannibal

who killed poor Mr. Tain, just three years ago. And now, lads, let us

to our boat. We may be attacked at any moment. Sly dogs those Germans!

but they've played into our hands this time."

There was about half a mile of open country near the beach, with a

village in its rear, a village of friendlies. If they could but reach

this, they thought they would be safe.

However, Kep was sent off in front, to signal the ship for armed

assistance. Poor lad, he never reached the shore, and it was not till

an hour later that Captain Breezy noticed that there was mischief on

shore.

The ship lay in deep water not far off, and the day was singularly quiet

and still.

Both McTavish and Stormalong, carried two revolvers each, and the

ringing of these, followed by the wild cries of the attacking cannibals,

told its own terrible tale.

Never were boats manned and armed more quickly. Hardly three minutes had

elapsed, before they were speeding shorewards.

They found the doctor and gunner besieged in the strongest house of the

village, into which they had dragged their prisoner Gobolohlo.

A message from the ship, in the shape of a shell, that burst in the rear

of the bamboo village, had startled the savages, who imagining they were

being surrounded, fled into the forest.

Neither McTavish nor his companion were injured. They had fought with

their clubbed rifles, and more than one dead cannibal lay out there on

the street of sand to prove their prowess.

The bluejackets chased the enemy a long distance, and giving them

pepper, so there was plenty of food for rats and ants in the woods that

night.

* * * * *

Meanwhile, where was Kep?

Far enough away by this time. He had been captured by the cannibals,

and borne off inland. Indeed, in his haste, he had stumbled right into

the arms of natives, who had been hurried to the beach to try to

outflank the doctor.

Gobolohlo was placed in irons in the cells, as soon as taken on board,

and a sentry set to watch him. No wild beast ever looked more terrible

behind bars than did this fearful cannibal.

The mountain savages were in full retreat now, back to the recesses of

their own land. Kep, bound hand and foot, was carried on a litter in

the vanguard, for even savages have some method in their military

madness.

The cannibals kept up their march until nearly midnight, and at last lit

fires, and huge ones they were.

Kep, who knew a little of their language, lay for a time in a kind of

apathetic stupor. He did not even feel afraid. He had been terribly

frightened at first, but knowing what his end must be, and that, as soon

as he was bludgeoned, he would be cooked and eaten, all fear had fled.

He only hoped it would all be over quickly. He even found himself

wondering apathetically on which of the fires the rude gridiron of hard

wood would be placed to receive his body.

Then two of the very wildest and most grotesquely tattooed savages

approached the spot where he lay. Each had an ugly naked knife in his

belt, and one carried a large wooden bowl.

[Illustration: "Then two of the very wildest and most grotesquely

tattooed savages approached the spot where he lay."]

They were coming to kill him. And a knife is so much more awful than a

bludgeon.

He closed his eyes, and shuddered a little.

They murder their victims with coolness, too, these cannibals. They are

as pitiless, as merciless, as a butcher slaying a lamb. They made him

sit up now.

"Be quick, be quick," cried the poor lad. "Oh God, be quick!" But Kep

was mistaken.

The bowl was not to hold his blood. It was filled with a mess of fruit,

mixed with cocoa-nut milk, made by rubbing the kernel down in water.

"Dlink," they told him, and Kep managed to empty the basin, under

threats of instant death if he refused.

They now felt him all over, and pinched his arms and legs. Kep was hard

and firm, but carried no fat. The boy knew the worst now, he was to be

fattened up for a feast.

Tired and weary, he sank into a deep sleep so soon as his captors had

left him, and could hardly remember all he had come through, when he at

last awoke, just as the red gleams of the newly risen sun shone like

fire among the tallest trees.

Again was he fed. This time with some sort of grain, like arrow-root,

boiled, and mixed with a little kava.

Camp was then struck, and the march was a long one of some fifty miles,

but during the day, he was fed three or four times. And, tied to one of

the most brutal-looking of the savages, was led as if he had been a wild

beast. He had to walk nearly all the distance. Luckily for him, he was

strong enough to stand it, else would he have been clubbed to death.

Hope now began to tell him a flattering tale? Was there not a chance of

escape. It seemed impossible, but----

The thought of it, anyhow, made the poor prisoner happier.

He had not forgotten his piccolo, the little black flute that had

charmed even cobras. They had not taken this away, for he wore that

under his jersey, and though his captors had felt it, they evidently

thought it was a rib.

His couch by night, was made of green boughs, and his sleep was sound

enough.

One day a band of armed savages came shouting to meet them, and then Kep

knew that he had reached his new home.

The camp that night was at the foot of a mountain, that towered high and

steep for full four thousand feet into the blue sky. It was up to the

top of this hill he had to march next morning, and very much surprised

he was when he found himself in the crater of an extinct volcano. It

was fully a mile in diameter, with a very large building in the centre.

The village--a very quaint one--was built around this palace of

Gobolohlo. There he had dwelt with his two wives, who if they were not

widows already, would very soon be.

The depths of this crater, and even the sides all around, were covered

with bushes and verdure, and adorned by Nature with the rarest and most

beautiful of flowers.

Now, right to this palace, Kep was dragged, and introduced to the

cannibal queens, who were well clad in short, bright-coloured frocks of

calico, with feather-fringed skirts. Both were young, both interesting

looking, and one really pretty. Their naked ankles and bare arms were

encircled with bands of gold set with precious stones.

They evidently admired the boy, just as a farmer or butcher may admire a

calf. For they prodded him with their little fat forefingers, then

laughed scornfully and shook their heads.

"He not much meat," said the younger queen, in English. She had been

captured by the recruiters, when a mere child, and carried to

Queensland, but was sent back in a few years to her own wild island.

"I'm no good to eat at all, your lovely majesty."

"In three weeks' time, though," she smiled.

Then Kep's food was brought, his hands were freed, and Gobolohlo's

queens screamed with laughter to behold him eat so heartily, which on

this occasion he really did, to please them.

He was ordered to sit down till they should study him a little longer.

He really appeared to afford great fun to their majesties.

But when he took out his piccolo, and begun to breathe his griefs and

sorrows into that, their mirth changed into pensive melancholy. They

listened enraptured. He changed his tune, and turned on the sailor's

hornpipe. They were all smiles once more, and giving the attendants a

sign, they withdrew, and in about half an hour the hall was nearly

filled with dancing flower-adorned cannibal maidens.

It was a strange wild scene, and stranger from the fact, that in this

case, youth and beauty was dressed in nothing else save flowers and

feathers.

At the end of the ball, the younger queen rushed forward and saluted

Kep, by rubbing her nose against his.

"You good, good, goodee boy," she cried. "For tree week you play to me,

den----"

"Then what, your majesty?"

"I lub you so much den, dat I eatee you. Plenty ob kava and spice--Yum!

yum!"

"This is something to look forward to, with a vengeance," said Kep to

himself.

The next two days and evenings, passed in much the same way.

Their majesties had been told of the capture of their united husband,

but it didn't affect them a great deal.

"Pah!" the younger said, "Gobolohlo good king, but he not make plenty

good meat fo' de Bleetish mans ob war."

But the very next day, Boona, the younger queen, seemed very sad, and

after the boy had done piping, she came and squatted beside him.

"You too good foh kill. All same to-mollow you be kill and eat."

This was certainly somewhat disquieting news, and he naturally wanted to

know why this change of plans had come about.

His voice trembled a little as he spoke.

"De oder queen, she hate pooh Boona. Den she think I lub you vely

mooch. She de stronger queen, and so she killee you to-mollow."

Kep could see now that it was a case of jealousy. Boona laid her naked

arm across Kep's shoulder, and once more rubbed noses.

"Goodeebye," she said; "only I nebber see you mo, till you dead and

roas', and de odder queen, she eatee all de bes' bits ob my boy. No let

Boona taste."

For the last two or three nights Kep had been allowed to sleep without

the galling fetters, but this evening he was more strongly bound than

ever.

He did not close his eyes once. He knew the end had come, and that his

messmates would be able only to guess how he had suffered.

It was late next day, when he was dragged from his prison, and made to

sit down, not far from a bigger fire than he had yet seen. And the

great grid was being got ready.

This was all so horrible, that Kep felt going out of his mind. He could

only close his eyes and pray.

Pray for death; delivery, he believed, was out of the question. If they

would kill him first; but he had received the news, very unceremoniously

given, that he was to be stripped, and tied alive to the gridiron, which

would then be lowered over the fire, when the latter was fierce enough.

He had been too deep in thought, and too distrait--he felt that he was

going mad--to notice a great cloud that was rising slowly up in the

east.

But now the day suddenly grew as dark as night, and the rain came down

in torrents, while thunder pealed nearer and nearer, the savages looking

like demons in the lightning's glare.

Then Kep remembered no more. He had fainted away.

When he came to himself again, the darkness all around was intense.

*CHAPTER XXIII*

*FIERCE FIGHTING WITH THE CANNIBALS*

Impenetrable darkness! Nothing to be seen.

Not a sound to be heard save now and then the cry of a night bird far

below in the forest, or the rustle of a lizard in the now dry grass. He

could not tell the time. Morning might already be close at hand, and up

from the sea the sun would leap and silver the trees and the clouds.

Kep trembled when he thought that this day would surely be his last, and

that the fearful death was yet before him.

List! It is a step that comes softly nearer and nearer. Then he feels

warmth on his cheek as some one by his side whispers in his ear.

"Hushee. Hush. No speak me."

Then his bonds are severed with a sharp knife or dagger and he is free

though weak and feeble in his knees.

"Are you the beautiful queen?"

"I is Boona. But come alonga me. You too good, vely good a boy to eat.

Sides you no fat yet."

He felt himself being led by a soft, soft hand. Out and away into the

blackness of night. Out and away through the flowers of the bushes, and

up the crater's craggy side.

"Run, run, we mus' be fah, fah away before the sun he shinee again.

Run, cause if dey catches we, bof must die. I hab jus' kill de ugly old

queen."

Despite his gratitude, Kep shivered a little as he thought that the hand

which held his was that of a murderess, and that the backs of the

fingers might still be stained with human blood. Yet who was he that he

should judge of or attempt to weigh the sum of this girl's guiltiness.

In the days of his real boyhood he had been used to running barefooted

in moors and on hills, so he hardly missed the shoes the savages had

stolen from him.

Long before daybreak they were fifteen miles at least from Cannibal

Mountain, and soon they found themselves on the banks of a broad river.

The queen made Kep rest far up in the green foliage of a vast spreading

tree while she herself ran off to find food. She soon returned bringing

many kinds of delicious fruits. For a while they rested, then from the

bushes close by the river she dragged a light black canoe, and beckoned

him to take his seat.

He did so, and next moment the boat was rapidly being paddled down the

beautiful river.

Kep was too full of thought to take much heed of the sweet romantic

scenery that changed and changed at every bend of the stream. But he

observed by looking at the sun and judging the time, that they were not

taking the direction in which the _Breezy_ lay. Sometimes, indeed, they

were facing directly east.

This was indeed a mystery. But he determined not even to ask the queen,

lest he might seem to doubt her goodness and honesty.

Just one question however he asked. Did, he wanted to know, the lovely

young queen Boona kill the ugly old one with her own hands.

"Pah! no," she answered. "I not hab her black blood run ober my hands

and spit on my booful dless (dress). No, no, Boona hab plenty fliends in

the palace."

She rose higher in his estimation now. Much higher. He was not sitting

near a murderess after all. So now he determined to let things slide.

And thinking thus, the boy, just where he sat, dropped into a sound

sleep unlike anything he had ever enjoyed before.

* * * * *

We must be done now with the cannibal chief, Gobolohlo. He was tried

just there on the beach by drum-head court martial, sentenced, tied to a

tree, and a volley of rifle bullets fired into him. His body was left

for the ants to pick.

Meanwhile Jack Stormalong was missed, but before an hour had passed his

manly voice was heard singing aloud, as he came staggering along,

bearing the wild pig on his back.

"Catch Jack," he said as he flung it down, "leave a bit o' good food

like that to go to waste."

No trace nor trail had the savages left behind, so Jack Stormalong, who

was perfectly at home among savages, retreated once more, while at the

same time boats were plying hastily twixt ship and shore and a punitive

expedition was being formed.

He was not long in finding a beach-man who knew the stronghold of

Gobolohlo and his queens. A bargain was soon struck, and that very

night sixty fully armed bluejackets and marines with one maxim were on

track and trail of the cannibals, and moving eastwards with all possible

speed.

Their route however could not be the same direct one which the savages

had taken but a longer and easier.

Kivi, the guide, seemed faithful and honest, but he was very well

watched indeed, in case he might lead the party into an ambush.

Luckily the weather kept fine and clear. They were making forced

marches.

They passed through or up wide valleys, forded rivers carrying the

maxim, and clambered over bare hills and plunged into deep, dark

forests.

With them they had brought red paint, beads, calico, sugar, and tinned

meats, with trinkets of Birmingham gold and silver, so that though the

wild natives would take no silver it was easy to barter for fruit,

fowls, or whatever they needed.

The villagers usually retired at first into their sago-palm dwellings,

but were afraid to attack, but a present brought them to reason, then

they swarmed around the British bluejackets and were only too familiar.

The doctor or Guilford warned their guide to keep strict silence. If he

but opened his mouth to speak one word, they told him he would have his

tongue cut out.

Sometimes they had to cut down great trees to form bridges across the

dark deep streams.

It was a hard and hazardous march, which few save British sailors could

have continued with so little sleep.

At one village of unfriendly savages arrows were fired and spears

thrown. One of the marines was injured so that it became necessary to

stop to fight these wild fellows. After a volley or two, however, they

fled howling into the forest. Only after this the watch by night was

stricter than ever.

There was but little hope, they knew well, of saving poor Kep, but they

were determined to punish the cannibals, and to know the youth's fate.

One broiling hot day, the sun so fierce that birds with gaping bills sat

silent on the boughs, and the very lizards panted, they were suddenly

confronted by a tall burly naked savage. He was as much taken aback as

the sailors themselves.

He let fly an arrow and then turned and fled. Jack Stormalong and a

first-class boy took up the running and kept the savage in sight for

miles, till he began to scramble up a high mountain's side, when they

returned.

"Dat am Gobolohlo palace," said their guide, "all along de mountain

top."

"Hurrah!" cried McTavish, and began singing--

Now's the day and now's the hour

See the point of battle lower.

"We may not find the boy," he said to Guilford, "but I for one feel

brimful of fight, and we will at any rate revenge his death."

They were guided out now on to the open, and after feeding, it could

hardly be called dinner, they started away across the moor, for that it

was in every respect.

Gobolohlo's mountain soon came in view, and then the front of battle did

begin to lower.

The mountain path seemed alive with wildly gesticulating savages

brandishing clubs and spears and shouting.

They formed themselves into all sorts of grotesque attitudes too; they

crawled or crept like wild beasts, and one lot on a bit of flat ground

stood, one above the other, in a spear-armed pyramid.

"Bring down that top fellow, Jones," cried Guilford.

Jones was the crack shot of the ship, and one bullet brought the

savage's body right on top of the spears of his comrades.

The pyramid dissolved itself after that, and presently a cloud of these

blacks came leaping and yelling down.

Three or four volleys were fired and did good service, but, finding that

the rear-guard was pushing on, the marines had recourse to the maxim,

and soon scores of cannibals were in a heap, wounded or dead, and the

rest were flying for their lives up the mountain side.

There was only one gateway or rent in the mountain top to give admission

to the crater, and this was stoutly held.

Showers of arrows came pouring down and several of the _Breezy's_ men

fell.

A charge was made now with fixed bayonets, and the officers' revolvers

begun to do their deadly work.

But in less than ten minutes the gangway, as Stormalong called it, was

carried and the enemy were in full flight down into the crater. The

bluejackets and marines must follow up their victory till it became a

permanent one. This they did with splendid heroism, but the foe had

rallied, and at one time it was touch and go with the athlete McTavish

and Stormalong. They were completely surrounded, but they stood back to

back, and fought like lions at bay, the surgeon with his broadsword,

Jack with his great pet cutlass.

It was a grand but terrible sight, and both sides paused, as if by

common consent, to witness it.

Here was brawny Scotland and brave England fighting back to back in the

same cause, turning round and round as they hung together, and showering

their blows like wintry rain.

Guilford declared afterwards that no less than five men were cloven to

the shoulders by the claymore of McTavish.

The fight on the side of the cannibals was but feebly sustained after

this; and when the maxim was once again brought into play the dusky

warriors turned and fled.

They could be seen on the ridge of the crater escaping, and many were

shot and their bodies rolled over the hilltop. The whole place was then

cleared and sentries set to guard the gangway.

Expecting a night attack, no fires were built, and the men laid

themselves down and slept, tired and weary enough, till at last the sun

appeared over the rim of the crater and saw them safe.

Their own casualties were but small, though seven poor fellows would

never see the chalky cliffs of dear old England again.

These were solemnly borne down to be buried far in the forest shade

where no foe would ever find them. The wounded were helped along.

They could find no trace of Kep, except the awful grid on which he was

to have been roasted. This they smashed to pieces, the king's castle

was fired, then slowly and sadly the long march back was commenced.

The guide took them a nearer way now. There was little danger from

enemies and nothing else to be feared.

McTavish took the very greatest care of his wounded, and on their

account solely he would not permit the march homewards to be hurried.

The worst cases were carried on litters.

There would have been plenty of time even to collect specimens. But

somehow the honest Scot, whose heart was the quintessence of kindness,

never once left camp for that purpose.

He had become strangely attached to Kep. He was certainly a lovable

lad, and besides there was still the mystery about him which had not yet

been cleared up. Indeed, McTavish knowing that any reference thereto

appeared to hurt the boy's feelings, refrained from making any attempt

to do so.

When they had reached a spot within about ten miles of the beach shortly

before sunset one evening, a halt was called for the night, and the

guide, who appeared to know nothing of fatigue, was started on ahead to

announce the tidings of their arrival. He was to remain on board as the

rest of the track was familiar enough to both McTavish and Jack

Stormalong.

All hands were glad of a good night's rest. The wounded were doing

well, and the very worst cases could now walk.

So after breakfast next day, all hands feeling happier now at heart, the

journey was resumed beachwards.

McTavish, trudging sturdily ahead of the troop, had just issued from the

forest and sighted the _Breezy_.

She had never looked more beautiful in his eyes, nor had the sunshine on

the soft waters, but the flag was flying half mast, and McTavish knew by

this that the guide had told the tale of grim fighting and death.

But he started back in amazement to see marching as slowly along the

beach as lovers twain, a handsome young gentleman and a gaily dressed

brown woman.

"By George!" That is what McTavish exclaimed. But Jack who had just

joined him put it stronger.

"By thunder!" he roared, "if that ain't Charlie Bowser himself, all

alive low and aloft, may the winds of heaven split my bally old bags."

And Kep it was without a doubt, as smiling and as saucy as ever.

He and Boona hurried up to meet the returning heroes, and the shaking of

hands and British cheering that ensued was such as had certainly never

been heard before on these lonely shores.

"And now," said Kep, as soon as silence was partially restored, "now Dr.

McTavish and Lieutenant Guilford, with your permissions, I will present

you to Queen Boona, widow of the late Gobolohlo, whose skeleton now

adorns yonder tree stem."

With much solemnity both officers lifted their caps and bowed with

befitting dignity.

"She's a deuced handsome girl, anyhow," cried Guilford laughing, and the

doctor nodded. He felt very happy now and still more so when Kep handed

him a parcel containing his instrument. He laughed at the strange

conceit of his boy friend, but willingly tuned up, and so they marched

to the boats to the wild skirl of the great Highland bagpipe.

As they passed the tree at the foot of which Gobolohlo expiated his

crimes, Kep pointed to the bleached skeleton that rattled in the breeze.

It had been wired and fixed up on chains, and above it a large board on

which were painted the words--

Here hangs

The mortal remains of King Gobolohlo,

Who was shot for

Murder and Cannibalism,

By

The Crew of His British Majesty's ship _Breezy_.

God save the King!

But when Boona smiling curtsied to the skeleton, there was some laughing

in the ranks. "Good goodee bye, ole Gobolohlo, goodee bye," she cried.

"I is goin' back to Queensland. Not mourn long foh you. Pah!"

Then she flung a kiss from her chubby fingers at the grinning skeleton,

took Kep by the arm, and marched cheerfully down to the boats.

*CHAPTER XXIV*

*"GOOD HEAVENS! THIS IS MY SISTER MADGE"*

The _Breezy_ was back once more in the grand old harbour of Sidney. The

mails from home had come on board and been distributed. It was the

reading, thinking hour on board, which invariably comes, and comes

immediately, after news from England has reached a ship of war on a

far-off foreign station.

Everyone on board had retired with his own letters into his own cabin,

den, or cosy corner. Everybody in fact seemed to evince a desire to be

as remote, for the time being, from everybody else, as possible.

But gradually, on this bright and sparkling day, with the bonnie white

flag aloft, draping itself on the breeze in every conceivable shape of

beauty, the ship returned to its ordinary equanimity.

Captain Breezy came now quietly into the ward-room. He was smiling

bashfully somewhat. Trying in fact to hide the pleasure afloat and

flowing in his heart, that couldn't be controlled.

Every face was turned towards him.

"Ordered home, sir?"

"Ordered home. Yes."

"Hurrah!" And the good news spread like wildfire from end to end of the

ship. All hands had it, from ward-room to galley, from the officer on

watch to the cook's slush boy. Ordered home!

Yet mingled with the joy that was general, was one little blue thread of

sadness. In storm or tempest, in fair weather or foul, for three long

years and a half, the broadsword-men of the _Breezy_ had hung together.

Their dangers had been one another's on sea or land, and they had fought

shoulder to shoulder in many a bloody tulzie, and a spirit of

camaraderie had always pervaded the ship, walked the decks, and dwelt in

the hearts of the crew. The _Breezy_ had been to them a real home and a

happy one at that, a home on the ocean wave. But in a few weeks, they

would all be sundered.

Ah, well, such is life to our sailors.

McTavish himself had few letters. Principally from his sisters and the

old folks at home.

Nor were Kep's letters very stirring this time. Madge had not yet

married the wealthy old man. Father had become settled as it were. Was

falling more easily into the new groove, and really, Madge said, life in

a cottage by the sea was rather nice than otherwise. "But," she added,

"father is longing, and I am longing, for our dear boy and his piccolo

back home again to cheer our hearts."

With Madge's letter in his pocket and a photo in it sent to show how she

looked at twenty, Kep went below to the doctor's cabin and glided in.

His friend was sitting there, lonesome-looking enough, and gazing at a

carte intensely, earnestly, in the uncertain light.

"Do I interrupt?"

"No, no, dear boy. Sit you down."

"Mac--may I see that?"

"Oh! it is but a romance and dream I had. It is gone now, and people

seldom dream the same dream over again, much though they might desire

to."

Kep pulled out his letter and the two exchanged pasteboards.

Both started, as if stung.

"Good heavens!" cried the boy, "this is my sister Madge!"

"And this also is your sister Madge!"

Then hand clasped hand and there was moisture in the eyes of both.

"And I am Keppel Drummond."

"Fool and dolt I was not before to have guessed it."

"But, McTavish, though very young when she met you, she had a romance,

and her romance was yours, Mac. She never told me your name, but now I

see it all, all clearly."

The two sat down as if under the same impulse, and there, in the cabin

alone, Kep told the doctor all his strange story from beginning to end

and all his longings as a boy and ambitions as well.

McTavish was silent for a time. He was thinking out the whole

situation. Then his duty seeming to stand out before him clearly and

distinctly, he stood up. "Keppel," he said, "don't you think you had

better tell the Captain all this? I do not wonder now that you thought

fit to conceal your name from us. You believed you were doing right; so,

I think, you were. You were acting honourably in hiding from the world

that you were the only son of Iverach Drummond, of Martello Castle,

because he was moving in the highest society and you were--well,

cleaning knives and boots. But now all that is altered. You have by

your energy and grit attained to a honourable position as interpreter to

a King's ship, while on the other hand your father is now living under a

cloud--for a time. Let us hope it is only for a time, Keppel. But now

you are going to let me introduce you to the ward-room and gun-room

officers as the blue-blooded boy, we have all of us, always, believed

you to be. But first and foremost let us see Captain Breezy, than which

a better fellow never lived."

The Captain was in his own quarters, when, passing the sentry, McTavish

knocked and entered.

Very much interested indeed was he, when Kep briefly retold his story.

To their astonishment the Captain got slowly up from his chair, and took

a Yorkshire weekly newspaper from his pile. Then he touched a button

and Adolph himself entered.

"I am not to be disturbed," he said, "until I ring again. That is all."

And Adolph retired.

"An article in this paper caught my eye, strange to say, only a few

minutes ago, but I hardly glanced at it. I think I can now read it to

you with some degree of interest. It is called

"A SECRET OF THE SEA.

"A story was current three or four years ago concerning the mate of a

clipper-built Australian barque or ship, who, on his return home about

three years ago, boasted of the possession of a large nugget or rather

bar of gold. The story he told about it was that being sent on shore

one day to bring off some fruit from an uninhabited island in the South

Seas he picked up this lump of gold, which it was evident had lain in

the water for a period of many years.

"'Where there was one there must more,' he said, and as soon as he could

charter a ship he could raise the sunken treasure and become a

millionaire. As he never let his friends handle the nugget, if nugget

of gold it was, and as he was somewhat dissipated in his mode of life,

he got no one to believe him. He had lost his ship owing to drunkenness

while in charge of a watch and hadn't found another.

"Reduced at last to penury he determined to pawn his nugget, and for

that purpose it seems he visited his uncle as the saying is. The

pawn-broker was a shrewd old Jew. But although he called the nugget a

mere trinket, he was glad to offer money on it nevertheless. Not

enough, however, to satisfy the man, who picked up the sea-worn gold and

quickly left the shop. He was followed at once to his lodgings and the

address taken.

"A few nights after this he was waited upon not by one Jew but two.

"They had been, they said, thinking over his story, and were willing to

advance a considerable sum not on the bit of gold, but if the ex-mate

would show them a chart and give the exact latitude and longitude of the

unknown island.

"A magnum of champagne was sent for and they three talked over the

matter.

"But the mate's ultimatum was this: he refused to give the position of

the island, but would take command of the search-ship, and the Jews

should have half of all the gold, the other to be his unreservedly.

"Before coming to terms one of the Jews hazarded a last shot.

Doubtless, he said, they could find the latitude and longitude from some

of the others that had been on board the barque at the time.

"The mate helped himself to more wine. He was a man who could fill his

hold without fear of his ballast shifting.

"'That you won't,' he said. 'I knew the only two young fellows that had

the secret. One was a steward, the other a ship's cook's slush boy.

Both, I've heard, were killed by cannibals, and I alone possess the

secret, which I means to stick to, till I find more generous partners

than you. Good-night.'

"But it seems the mate's last shot told home.

"'Brother,' said the elder, 'let us accept this honest fellow's offer at

once. We'll get out the ship then, though it will take a bit of time,

and my brother and I will both go out in her. We'd like a bit of fresh

air, anyhow.'

"Well," the article went on, "extraordinary as the story is it is a true

one. The ship is a great object of interest to the residents of

Cardiff, and will be all ready to leave in four months' time. She is a

strongly built Aberdeen clipper, not large but well armed, and even

carries a quick firer, trouble with savages being feared."

"Keppel, I fear," said Captain Breezy, "they will have the weather gauge

of you. But I am interested and will see the Admiral of this station

about other matters and take his opinion on this at the same time.

Meanwhile you had better say nothing about the sunken treasure. Let

this be our secret."

"One word, sir," said Kep, "for you are no doubt a trifle wiser than I."

The Captain couldn't help smiling at the lad's pretty conceit.

"Suppose I found those in this city willing at once to start in search

of this sunken treasure, to whom would it belong when raised? To the

Crown?"

"Certainly not, boy; but to you, unless the owners came back from the

grave. And not only the gold, but the islands themselves, as you were

the first inhabitant and it is no portion of British territory. No, the

gold would be indisputably yours and Adolph's, your shipwrecked fellow

Crusoe. You may go now. I have many matters to think about."

So Captain Breezy had, but he was a brisk, determined man. He lighted

his cigar now and leaned back in his easy chair, and began to arrange

his ideas.

"That's what I'll do," he said to himself at last.

Next minute the Captain's gig was called away, and it did not take him

long to board the flagship.

He transacted all his business coolly and soon had his papers all signed

and his instructions to weigh anchor and sail for home any day he

pleased. Then he told him Kep's story and all about the treasure.

"And a son of Iverach Drummond. Why, dear old Drummond and I were at

school together. I'm surprised, but I'm glad for Keppel's sake, or at

least I should be if things go right with him."

"But about the other ship that is fitted out?"

"We'll send a cablegram at once home to hear about it."

They did and the answer came in reasonable time to the effect that the

barque _Fortuna_, having engines on board, or what is called auxiliary

steam-power, had sailed a month ago by Suez, bound for the South Sea

Islands.

"A month ago. Why, Breezy," cried the Admiral, "you can beat her yet,

and beat her easily unless you break down. It's only a matter of a few

weeks' delay. I'll make that all right, and you have my permission now

to go anywhere on your way home and do just as you please."

"A thousand thanks, sir. I shall soon speak my fond farewells to Sidney

city, and be under weigh and on the wing by to-morrow forenoon. It may

be a bit of a race between the _Breezy_ and the _Fortuna_, but I think I

know who will win, sir."

"Good morning. Shall be happy to hear from you."

And back to the _Breezy_ went bold Captain Breezy.

* * * * *

That evening and night all farewells were said to those on shore. The

broadsword-men of the _Breezy_ had a good send off and left Sidney

homeward bound next forenoon at four bells.

Said Jack Stormalong to a brother gunner as the ship got well away from

the shore, "Ned, my old shippie, we're homeward bound, you know, but

there's something in the wind, and I'm ready to bet my best new jacket

to a pint o' tar that we won't touch England's happy shores for months

to come yet."

"On with you," said Ned. "I'll have your swagger jacket or you'll have

my pint o' tar with a cinder in it for luck."

*CHAPTER XXV*

*A GREAT OCEAN RACE.--"GODDARD BEGAN TO SHOOT"*

It wasn't only Jack Stormalong and his chum who "kind o' felt" there was

something in the air but all hands. There was, maybe, going to be a

fight with a pirate, or more savages were coming to the front, or war

was declared against Germany; but they didn't mind, and A.B.'s said to

each other: "We may be content if it ain't straight home, old pal.

We'll git there some time."

"And the more months, the more money, eh?"

But there was no grumbling. Even little Sneyd, the Acting Paymaster,

forbore to growl.

The Captain studied the chart, and sailed east and away with a point or

two of south in it after they rounded Australia. Making all

calculations, he believed he could reach the island some days at all

events before the _Fortuna_, who must already have reached the straits

of Java, or be about the south end of Borneo. No one could guess what

the mate, who was now, of course, captain of the sail-search-of-fortune

barque might do.

Now that they were fairly away at sea, there was no harm in all hands

knowing the meaning of the enterprise.

It was not merely a voyage they were making, but they were engaged in a

great ocean race, and there was therefore a good deal of excitement fore

and aft. But all felt sure of winning.

The engineers were advised to make the best of each day's journey, but

to exercise the greatest care. For to breakdown in these seas might

prove a terrible calamity from every point of view.

The engines worked splendidly under the almost continual attention of

the engineer-lieutenant. They were beautiful pets, these of his. He

was never happier than when he was down among them, talking to them and

touching them as if they were sentient beings, things of life as well as

beauty.

Once or twice during the long, long voyage the engines had been suddenly

stopped, and the hearts of those on board seemed to stop with them.

When they went on again, however, no sweeter sound ever fell upon their

ears than the hum of the polished wheels.

They were delayed for a time by a circular storm. In just such a

hurricane many and many a good ship has foundered with all hands, and

never more will be heard of them till the sea gives up its dead. But all

was soon right again.

When in the South Seas constant watch had to be kept from the mast-head

for shoal water, and greater caution had to be observed by night.

This was a trying time in a great ocean race like this.

But the depth of the sea increased at last, and they were now quite out

of the ordinary ocean highways, though they at times crossed them and

met ships.

They hailed every one of them in the usual way. They spoke them, as

sailors say.

They might have been about three days' steam from the islands they were

in search of.

Adolph had most carefully retained the position of Great Snake Island,

but still there might have been an error in calculation made by the

first mate of the _Wampiri_. He was a steady man then, though drinking

when off duty, and so this was improbable.

He tried to be steady during the present voyage of the _Fortuna_, and

touched no spirits nor wines for a time. He knew right well how much he

had at stake, and was cautious.

He himself, moreover, saw to all calculations and made reckonings, and

on the whole, as his two Jewish owners remarked, a more trustworthy and

reliable sailing master could not have been found. This for the first

five weeks.

The broadswords of the _Breezy_ began to be a little anxious when next

day passed and no _Fortuna_ hove in sight. She must have already found

the islands, and her crew by now must have commenced the work of diving.

But about an hour after sunrise next day every heart was gladdened by

the appearance, far away on the weather bow, of a barque under steam and

easy sail, answering exactly to the right build of the _Fortuna_. They

overhauled her easily. Indeed, they were coming up hand over hand in

her wake, then keeping off a point or two, the _Breezy_ hailed her.

"What vessel is that?"

Everyone on the _Breezy_ held his breath to listen.

"The _Fortuna_!"

At the word a little cheer had to be repressed on board the man-o'-war.

"Bound for the Horn, and home."

"So are we. We'll be there before you, though. Can we take letters?"

"No, thanks."

"_Bon voyage_ then."

"_Bon voyage!_"

"Hurrah!" said Wynn. "No doubt we'll be there before her in more ways

than one."

But next day, no ship being then in sight, the glass indicated a

depression, the clouds rolled up till the horizon was close aboard of

them, and somehow or another the broadswords' hearts went down with the

falling glass. In dirty weather like what was coming anything might

happen to mar their success.

It really gave the _Fortuna_ almost as good a chance of reaching the

island first as the _Breezy_.

The gale was at its height when the sable plumes of night trailed over

the sea.

The _Breezy_ was making good knotage, but, fearful that she might pass

the small islands in the darkness, they were obliged to stop ship.

Yet this storm appeared to have driven the _Breezy_ out of her way.

There were both winds and currents to reckon with.

It was terribly tantalising, and just so near game too. But towards the

middle of the morning watch sea and wind went down, the stars shone out,

and the red fire of the rising sun opened a splendid day.

Probably this storm and the fact of the _Breezy_ having been drifted to

leeward saved the situation, for there--not two miles ahead--was the

Island of Snakes itself, and no _Fortuna_ in sight.

They sailed round this that they might recall the wrecked _Macbeth_, and

enable Kep and Adolphus to take their bearings.

They found the spot, but the ship of death lay crushed and broken among

the rocks.

It was easy for Kep now to point out the route to the little inlet where

the treasure ship had been sunk, and in a couple of hours they had

reached it.

No time was lost in sending a boat on shore.

It was the captain's gig, Captain Breezy himself on board her, with Kep

and Adolph and McTavish. Everything above seemed precisely the same as

when Kep and his comrade had left it years ago.

"But how about the treasure ship?" said Captain Breezy.

"Well, sir," replied Kep, "she ought to be just down there among the

weeds. But I can soon see. I can dive down as I did before."

"But is there not a danger of your becoming entangled among the deep sea

weeds and drowned?"

"I was entangled last time, sir, though I did not tell Adolph when I got

up; so maybe, sir, I might have a bit of a life-line round me this time.

I don't want to die to-day, sir, anyhow."

A pole had been brought on shore with a British flag, in order that they

might hoist it and so take possession of the island in the King of

Britain's name.

This pole and flag would do capitally. In less than a minute Kep was

back again with another bar of gold, which he placed at the captain's

feet.

He was gasping a bit, but soon recovered.

"All is just as I left it, sir," he said.

Then there was a ringing cheer from the men on shore, responded to

heartily by those on board.

"We'll hoist the flag-pole now," cried Breezy, and the men quickly drove

the halliard through the pulley and set to work to step the mast. In a

quarter of an hour all was ready for the ceremony.

But McTavish now boldly stepped forward. "I don't think, sir," he said,

"that the flag should be hoisted till the sunken ship is cleared."

"And why, my worthy doctor?"

"Well, sir, so long as this island belongs to Keppel here and Adolph,

they can do as they please with it and all in it and round it. But as

soon as the _Union_ Jack is hoisted the island becomes the King's--God

bless him!--with all its appurtenances; all above ground and all below

becomes treasure-trove, flotsam, jetsam, ligan, or whatever other

puzzling names a man of law chooses to put on them."

Captain Breezy laughed. "You're right, doctor. Dash it, doctor, I'll

take your advice; but I had no idea we had a sea-lawyer on board of the

_Breezy_, else we could have consulted him in many a difficulty before

now."

"Sail in sight!"

The hail came from the tops of the ship itself, but could be heard

distinctly enough by those on shore.

"That's the _Fortuna_ again. Let her come now we have anchored the

_Breezy_ on Keppel's Isle, and I don't think we'll sever till we see

what is below yonder."

The _Fortuna_ could be distinctly seen now coming at full speed towards

the bay.

"We'll go on board and get things ready. Adolph, you may remain here

for a short time. You are the man in possession, and we shan't forget

you. Tumble in, boys!"

Once on board preparations to get to work were commenced immediately.

The great diving-bell was overhauled to see that everything was in

perfect order.

"I guess," said little Sneyd, the A.-P., as he came bustling into the

ward-room, "we're going to have some real good fun with that scoundrel

of a skipper on the _Fortuna_." He continued, "Kep, my lucky youngster,

you are to keep out of sight below and not appear until you get the

signal. But you'd better be half way up the companion ladder so that

you can't be seen. That's what your orders are, and if the skipper

comes on board the rest of us are to be on the quarter-deck."

Two boats were called away, and, after being manned and armed, lay

easily at the shore side of the _Breezy_. They might be wanted; if so,

they had their orders, one under the charge of Guilford, the other

commanded by a midshipmite.

There is no doubt the skipper of the _Fortuna_ smelt a rat, but he

determined to face every difficulty. The two Jews were nervous and

excited. Indeed, they had already come to open rupture with Goddard.

"If, Captain G.," they told him, "you have fooled us, and we are foiled,

we shall maroon you on the nearest uninhabited island, with a keg of rum

and a small barrel of salt herrings. Won't we, Moses?"

The skipper took no further notice of the _Breezy_, but stepped into the

boat he had lowered and, hoisting the red ensign astern, ordered his

fellows to pull to the point within five hundred yards of Golden Inlet.

"Lieutenant Guilford," cried Captain Breezy, "be off now, and see that

yonder fellow doesn't land with his flag. I think I know what he is up

to, so bring them here, boat and all."

"Ay, ay, sir. Down oars lads. Cheerily does it, and this is race

number two in the programme. The winner to receive a bottle of rum."

"Hooray!" Away they went.

But there were good British tars in the _Fortuna's_ boat also.

"Up with her, lads; up with her with a will!" Goddard was heard

shouting. "We'll beat the beggars yet."

Sturdy and strong as the man-o'-war's men were, they had twice as far to

pull, and could never have done the distance, but away went a shot from

the _Breezy_. It was splendidly aimed by Stormalong himself, and took

the water close to the port bow of the Fortunes boat, treating all on

board to a most disheartening shower-bath.

"Game's up!" cried Goddard. "In oars, boys. The next shot would sink

us."

Then the war-boats got alongside.

"Whither away, my hearty," cried Guilford.

"I am the captain of the _Fortuna_. Yonder is my island, and I'm going

to land there and take possession in the King's name."

"You may save yourself the trouble. We ourselves have virtually annexed

it. But we've got to take you back to H.M.S. _Breezy_ now, Mr.

Master-mariner. Are you going to come quietly?"

"Suppose I must, but don't imagine I'm going to take it lying down."

"Don't care how you take it, skipper. You may take cold without, if you

choose, or if you prefer it hot--you can have that."

"I shall not give orders to pull a stroke," cried Goddard.

Guilford pulled out two revolvers. "Up hands, in the King's name!" he

shouted as he stood in the bows.

Up hands it was, and the boat was taken in tow, and soon her men were

safe on board the _Breezy_.

"Show Mr. Goddard aft," cried Breezy. "Midshipman of the watch."

The middy was a merry little boy, and this is the polite way he showed

the gentleman aft.

"Luff, you lubber," he cried, "and if ye dare to back sail or heave to

before you stand before the captain of this ship, I'll stick a pin in

your hip right up to the hilt. March!"

"Now, Mr. Goddard, I hope for your own sake you will not give trouble,

else it will be your own fault if anything occurs. You came to look for

a sunken treasure ship?" began Captain Breezy.

"Yes, Cap'n, and yonder is the treasure island on which I was landed for

fruit. I was therefore first owner, and there I dredged up this bar of

gold, therefore the rest of it is mine by rights."

The two stood now in the waist of the ship, confronting each other, with

the rest of the officers near, and Goddard's own surly men looking on.

"Mr. Keppel Drummond!"

Kep was by the captain's side in two bounds.

"I'd be sorry," he said, "to use an ugly word on the deck of the King's

ship, so I shall speak in the mildest and calmest language possible."

Goddard had turned pale.

Kep raised his fist and his voice at the same time. "Goddard," he

yelled, "you are not only a liar, but a thief. Hand me the gold."

Goddard was crushed, and parted company with the nugget as a whipped

schoolboy might have done.

"If you do not now apologise to this young gentleman," said Breezy, "for

the injury you would have done him, I will lodge you in our cells, and

hand you over to the police the moment we return to England."

Goddard tried to smile, but in vain.

"You see, young sir, you was eaten by cannybiles."

"Never one put a tooth in me," cried Kep.

"And was in consequence dead."

"I was never dead in all my life."

"And now," moaned Goddard, "I'm done for. My owners will maroon me."

He talked so sadly, that Captain Breezy felt a bit sorry for him.

"We'll take care they don't maroon you, Mr. Goddard. If you will lie to

for a couple of days between the Isle of Snakes yonder and Keppel's Isle

here, you may or you may not hear of something to your advantage.

Please yourself, Master-mariner. Good day."

Everything was ready that day, a raft rigged and attached thereto the

huge diving-bell, and at early morning, in the short twilight, for the

island lies well down south, the men commenced work right gaily.

The _Fortuna_ was hove to about three miles from the shore.

The men in the bell were as busy as bonnet-makers, Kep and McTavish

roaming over the island accompanied by two bluejackets.

It was not snakes that the brawny surgeon was in search of this time,

but Kep had suggested that the crew of the sunken treasure might have

made some effort to get a portion of the gold on shore, and there was

not a yard of the island anywhere within a mile of the creek or inlet

that they did not search. But all in vain, and ere twilight fell, they

were back to dinner on board the _Breezy_.

The news was most exhilarating. The bell had been most effective. The

men could see everything, and work from inside with levers, or, entering

a chamber beneath, get out and walk about the bottom of the sea itself.

This work was first executed, and the old galleon, evidently Spanish,

was cleared of weeds, and a space many yards all around her; then these

were dragged away up the creek, and the divers had a clear field for

investigation. No less a sum than L50,000 in gold bars and doubloons

were sent up the first day, in boxes weighing about two hundred pounds

each.

The _Breezy_ spent seven days more at the work, during which time all

the men did their duty well and heartily.

The ship was finally blown to pieces on the ocean's bed, and every piece

of her was examined. In one box were many precious stones of great

value.

On the third day Stormalong was sent to tell the skipper of the

_Fortuna_ about the wreck that lay on the other island.

The two brothers, the Jewish gentlemen, received him most affably. The

skipper himself was sulky, and gave evidence that he had once more

resorted to the rum cask to drown his sorrows and keep up his heart.

"But there are good men and true on board, only they are timid and

over-awed by the bad hats among the crew." This is what Moses told

Stormalong. "These are mutinous even already."

"If you want any help," said the gunner heartily, "I am sure that our

Captain Breezy will be glad to let you have it."

"This voyage," the Jew said, "will almost ruin us. But we willingly

accept your aid. It is thus with my brother and me: the only way we can

save our lives after you leave is by destroying the brandy and the rum,

leaving only enough for a smell for the captain and each man, to be

doled out daily."

"Now," said Stormalong, "I see how it is. The men sailed, poor beggars,

with high hopes of getting rich, and they think they will have to go

home in ballast. But they need not. The derelict is worth a deal to

you. Give the men work; break her up and load up her brass work and

iron, her best timbers, and everything else of value."

"Goot! goot! goot!" cried Moses, forgetting his best English.

"Meanwhile, we will send an armed boat on board. We will take your grog

and wine and pay you for it."

"Goot!"

"I'm only _saying_ this, but I feel sure I will get leave to."

"Goot! goot!"

"You may also dredge the wreck yonder, and if you find more gold after

we leave, you are welcome to it."

"Goot! goot! goot!"

The surgeon came off next time in an armed boat. With the men growling

all around, they coolly lowered the grog into the steam launch.

When his back was turned, the skipper suddenly pulled out a revolver and

began to shoot.

He was speedily secured and bound. Then they left him raving. For the

time being the man was mad.

After returning to the _Breezy_ the doctor reported what had happened.

A bullet had cut the gunner on the shoulder, and so close had the

revolver been fired, that part of the poor fellow's jacket was burned.

Breezy immediately gave orders that Goddard should be taken on board and

placed in the cells. He died raving mad just three days after, and so

that was the end of _his_ story.

*CHAPTER XXVI*

*SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY HAPPENED*

Of gold and precious stones the men of the _Breezy_ had lifted quite two

millions and two hundred thousand pounds' worth.

And the happy ship was homeward bound in earnest. Joy fore and aft. Ah,

you landsmen, cannot easily understand the feeling in a sailor's heart;

whose every footstep, as he walks the quarter-deck, seems to draw nearer

and nearer to the bold bluff coast of Southern Britain.

Before they reached Rio de Janeiro, where Captain Breezy had orders to

call and where letters for the crew were expected, Kep and Adolphus had

a little private meeting and confab. They settled money matters between

them, and then Keppel Drummond sought audience of the captain, asking

permission for Adolph to come with him.

This was gladly granted, and the interview was but a short one.

"It seems, sir," said Kep, "that treasure will pan out to L2,200,000,

and if so----"

"Oh, Kep, my lad," interrupted Breezy, "it will do more than that."

"Well, sir, this money belongs to Adolph and me, does it not?"

"Every penny, Keppel."

Kep then told him of his father's grief and illness from his downfall

from Martello Castle to a small cottage by the sea, and how he, Kep,

meant to set up his daddy and sister in their former state, and to do

all he could to make his life happy.

"Adolphus here will, no doubt," he continued, "know what to do with his.

And now, sir, I have only to ask that we may have the pleasure and

honour of distributing all but the two millions to the officers and men

of the ship."

Breezy grasped Kep by the hand and then Adolph. He was visibly affected.

"Let it be divided, as usual, with prize-money, only in this case your

share, sir, must not be less than L50,000; nor any man's less than

L1,000."

A public meeting was held next day, on the quarterdeck, all hands being

called to hear the gladsome tidings. And I need not say that the

cheering was such as is seldom heard on board a navy cruiser or

battle-ship. Then the little band struck up; both Kep and Adolph were

picked up and carried shoulder high around the deck, even the bayoneted

sentries saluting as they passed.

It happened to be Saturday night, and so in good old fashion the

main-brace was spliced and wives and sweethearts drank right joyfully.

They rounded the Horn in rough and tumbling weather, and in course of

time reached Rio, the most beautiful and romantic city on the coast of

South America. Almost as splendid with its surroundings of mountains

and glens as Edinburgh itself.

Captain Breezy would have liked to have given the men and officers

leave, but considering that they were now a treasure ship, and that men

who take grog on shore are apt to open their minds too confidentially,

he stopped all leave, and the ship was coaled from lighters.

He went on shore himself, taking only Kep and Adolph with him.

Yes; letters were here for all hands.

But terrible news as well, for Britain had just declared war on Russia

and Germany, and dispatches from the Admiralty warned the captain that

cruisers from each nation were scouring the seas and damaging or

destroying British commerce.

He, the Captain, was to keep a good look-out day and night on his way

home.

The news on board was received with an outbreak of cheering, and every

man on board was full of fight, and trusted they would soon meet a

Russian cruiser.

Captain Breezy had no need to remind them that they were a treasure

ship, and that if they fell into the hands of the foe short indeed would

be their shrift, and all the gold and precious stones would fall into

the hands of the enemy.

Britain at war! Who could have dreamed of such a thing. On the

ward-room and gun-room officers the tidings fell like a bolt from a

summer sky.

Meanwhile all hands took to reading their letters. Some few were sad,

but all the rest were filled with joy and hope.

Kep's heart was filled with feelings of love and gratitude as soon as

his eyes fell upon the well-known handwriting of his sister.

In a former letter he had mentioned to her all about the photo of hers

that the good and brave Dr. McTavish had shown him. It was he, Kep

said, that had been the hero of her little romance in Italy.

And this was Madge's letter in return, or at least a portion of it. Kep

had retired to the privacy of his own cabin and easy chair in order to

read it.

"DEAR OLD KEP,--For you must, like myself, be getting old now. Would

you believe it that I, your little sister, am on the borders of twenty,

and not the green side of the border either, but the other. It was

sweet of you to write me so long a letter. Quite brotherly too, and in

some parts a bit bluff, but I loved it for all that.

"Do you know, Kep, that for dear Daddy's sake I was greatly tempted to

let him sell me to the rich old man. I am often sorry for father. This

villa is charmingly pretty, and its flowery lawns flow as it were, down

almost to the edge of the cliff. But father sits in his chair sometimes

for an hour thinking, thinking. I fill his meerschaum for him, and he

dreams and dreams of his dear old home till he nods and sleeps.

"We have many neighbours; but though very kind, they are of the commoner

middle classes, and though we don't entertain except to tea, I often

have them and they me.

"The village where we live is on Cornish shores, and is well named

Maretown (but the people don't sound the _e_, and pronounce it

Mairtown). The beauty of the bay on an early summer morning is

indescribable. Below the cliffs, which are yellowed o'er with scented

furze and many a lovely wild flower, the wavelets break when the tide is

high over the black rocks at the foot, with a strange murmur that seems

to suit the cry of the sea-gulls.

"When the sea is back, it leaves long points of dark seaweed-covered

rocks, with patches between of the yellowest of sand, and the long

snow-like fringe of sea moans far away now.

"I'm often among the rocks, and find in pools such lots of darling funny

wee fish and crabs and shells.

"But I love the sea in all its moods, by day or by night, when it lulls

me to sleep.

"Sometimes I speak to it, sometimes I sing to it, or rather with it, for

it is the same sea over which my darling brother sailed so long ago.

"At sunset I seem to love it best, Keppel."

When the burning golden Rose of the day

Droops down to the Western sea,

And the amber and purple flush of the sky

And the crimson glow of the sea,

Ebb, ebb away,--fade, fade and die;

While the earth all mantled in shadowy grey,

Washes her brow with a restful sigh

In the cool sweet dews of the morning.

Then the letter goes on to tell of all the fun and capers of Bounder and

herself, and how lively and lovely is Bounder still, and how she swims

far out with him into the sea, and, when tired, puts one arm over his

strong neck, her head on his shoulder, closes her eyes, and allows him

to swim back with her to the sandy shore.

"And the boatmen are so kind, Kep," she adds, "and carry me and Bounder

into their boats and take us for long, long sails.

"You ask me if I am pretty. Some say I am.

"But good-night, dear Kep, and sound be your sleep, 'rocked in the

cradle of the deep.'

"Your ever loving,

"SISTER MADGE."

"P.S.--Oh, I had almost forgotten about your friend, Dr. McTavish. He

might come down with you for a day or two. Do you think he would?"

Kep showed that letter to McTavish, and at the postscript he laughed

enough to have exploded a torpedo.

"Might come down? By thunder!" he roared. "I'll come down whether

anybody asks me or not. Ha! ha! ha!"

* * * * *

But the idea of a "scrape" with a Russian seemed to tickle the crew.

How clean her decks were kept now, and the great guns worked as smoothly

as the chronometer. Every sword was sharpened, every cutlass as well;

the best revolvers in the ship were served out. Moreover, ammunition

was handy, and torpedoes too, and every day the men were exercised in

clearing for action.

"By George! Tom, lad," Stormalong said to a pal, "we're not going to

lose our gold, if we knows it."

"No; we'll fight like wild cats. Blowed if I wouldn't rather run along

sich, like they did in the brave old times, and board the enemy."

But the _Breezy_ got among the Azores, and one night, when some miles

off the island of Flores, something extraordinary happened, which is

well worthy of the beginning of another chapter to itself.

*CHAPTER XXVII*

*THE HOME-COMING OF THE "SAUCIEST BOY"*

Probably so extraordinary a battle had never yet been fought at sea in

modern times.

It must have been pretty nearly eight bells in the night-watch, when

suddenly sweeping round a headland, with the Russian flag flying, the

_Breezy_ found herself almost cheek by jowl with a great German cruiser.

Not far off were five British merchantmen, all evidently prisoners.

This was perceived by search-light.