Part 8 (1/2)

”Oh,” and she gave a low gasp of pleasure ”Oh, yes, indeed, it will be a wonderful voyage”

”Yes, if we ever get there,” I said ”But we can try”

”You will not fail Of that I aain we turned to the chart, and were poring over it together when the er returned to say that the natives had arrived with the boat I hurried down to the beach, and saw the native owners, and then the boat itself, which, after very little trouble, I bought for ten muskets, a couple of tierces of tobacco, and a hundred fatho them some instructions, I went back to the house

[Illustration: I hurried down to the beach 096]

”Well, Mr Sherry, what do you think of the boat?”

”Fairly well, Mrs Krause Anyway, I've bought her, and if you look out of the , you'll see the crew getting her under way again to sail her over to Utiroa Now I et ho that I et done is to alter h for my new shi+p, whose sails are quite rotten Then I shall ht”

”Ah, let ive lad of your assistance I can cut out the new suit, and you and Niabon sew theht ers suffer”

”I don't ruhtly ”When shall I come?”

”To-morrow I'll send the whale-boat for you You will find oes He stands six feet”

And so with a laugh, and lighter hearts than had been ours for oodbye till the morrow

CHAPTER VIII

As soon as I arrived at Utiroa village with h-water mark, close to the boat-shed, and then turned her over so as to get a good look at the botto either Tematau or Niabon the reason for my purchase, I bade theed in paying the late owners their tobacco, guns, ammunition, and bolts of turkey twill They ell satisfied with the price I paid theift of a case of biscuit and a case of tinned Australian meats, of which I had an ample stock They were very ive e disappearance, which was--as they had previously told me--that he had been seized and devoured by an enormous reptile, half eel and half turtle, which had been known to s not only huroves of coco-nut trees, etcetera; but onthem that I was very tired and wanted a quiet house, they retired to the native village to spend the night

Calling Niabon and Teht the boat

They both seemed very pleased, but soe in my plans; and for a moment or two a swift suspicion crossed my mind

Did they--or Niabon at least--_know_ that it was Mrs Krause who had brought this boat toon the matter to Niabon herself? I deterlish, which Teh he never spoke it, ”tell me truly--did you or Teht?”

”No, never, Mr Sherry,” she replied calmly, and the quiet dark eyes met mine with such an expression of truthfulness that I was instantly ashamed of my transitory suspicion ”I have never spoken to her about this boat, and never has Teht of hers,” I said; ”we have now a boat that will be much better than my ohich I must try and sell, for we shall want e country to which we are going, and I have but little”

”Kaibuka and the head men will buy the other boat, I think”

”How do you know?” I said in surprise, for I had never even been approached on the subject of selling my boat

”I will ask theo to them now, if you wish How much money do you want?”

”The boat is worth two hundred dollars, but I will take one hundred If they cannot give me one hundred dollars I will take no less--but because they and I are good friends, I will give it to them freely, for it will be of no further use to me”