s feet and stared and listened. The sound was continuous, like the passing of a train; no rise or fall could be distinguished; minute by minute the ocean heaved with an equal po

a certain string of blots along the starry heaven. And the

sea line, and seemed to brighten and darken and spread out, and still the night and the stars reigned undisturbed; it was as though a spark should catch and glow and creep along the foot of some heavy

nd there, as the schooner coasted northward, the wood was intermitted; and he could see clear over the inconsiderable strip of land (as a man looks over a wall) to the lagoon within - and clear over that again to where the far side of the atoll prolonged its pencilling of trees against the morning sky. He tortured himself to find analo

to run out in indeterminate capes, and still there was neither house nor man, nor the smoke of fire. Here a multitude of sea-birds soared and twinkled, and fished in the blue waters; and there, and

xcitement of the three adventurers glowed about their bones like a fever. They whispered, and nodded, and pointed, and put mouth to ear, with a singular instinct of secrecy, approaching that island underhand like eavesdroppers and thieves; and e

must struggle to escape. The hour in which the Farallone came there was the hour of flood. The sea turned (as with the instinct of the homing pigeon) for the vast receptacle, swept eddying through the gates, was transmuted, as it did so, into a wonder of watery and silken hues, and brimmed into the inland sea beyond. The schooner looked up close-hauled, and was caught and carried away

er; forgot that he was come to that island, desperately foraging, clutching at expedients. A drove of fishes, painted like the rainbow and billed like parrots, hovered up in the

e schooner, immediately on entering, had been kept away to the nor'ard where the water seemed to be the most deep; and she was now skimming past the tall grove of trees, which stood on that side of the channel and denied further view. Of

nning forth into the burning shallows of the lagoon. From a flagstaff at the pierhead, the red ensign of England was displayed. Behind, about, and over, the same tall grove of palms, which had masked the settlement in the beginning, prolonged its root of tumultuous green fans, and turned and ruffled overhead, and sang its silver song all day in the wind. The place had the indescribable but unmistakable appearance of being in commission; yet there breathed from it a sense of desertion that was almost poignant,

desolation; and to make assurance stronger, there was to be descried in the deep shade of the verandah, a glitter of crystal and the fluttering of white napery. If the figure-head at the pier end, with its perpetual gesture and its leprous whiteness, reigned alone in that hamlet as it seemed to do, it would not have reigned long. Men's hands had been busy, men's feet stirr

was thus hidden up to the last moment from the eyes of those on board;

pier! In two cables' lengths you'll have tw

e tropics; a wide hat shaded his face; but it could be seen that be was of stalwart size, and his voice sounded like a gentleman's. So much could b

pared; there was no time to make one; they were caught red-handed and must stand their chance. Yet this anxiety was chequered with hope. The island being undeclared, it was not possible the man could hold any office or be in a position to demand their papers. And beyon

corrected this impression; an eye of an unusual mingled brilliancy and softness, sombre as coal and with lights that outshone the topaz; an eye of unimpaired health and virility; an eye that bid you beware of the man's devastating anger. A complexion, naturally dark, had been tanned in the island to a hue hardl

ame up. 'Dr Symonds, I mean? You never hea

hree white men in succession with a sudden weight of curiosity that was almost savage. 'Ah, THEN!' said

; the friendliest vulgarian, three parts drunk, would have known better than t

, and read that thing in the Directory about the PRIVATE REASONS, you see; so when we s

't intrude!'

int surprise, and looked pointedly away again.

n schooner is overdue, and I may put something in y

so,' said Davis

inued the stranger. 'You, I

ain of this ship: Captai

e all equal, all got a lay in the adventure; when it comes to business, I'm as good as 'e; and what I say is, l

he vulgarity of the clerk; and Herrick instinctively, as

ntroductions are going. We shall be

him swiftly. 'Unive

and the next moment blushed

p. Well! this is a queer place and company for us to meet in, Mr Hay,' he pursued, with easy incivility

r,' returned the cler

you bear out Mr Whish's description of your vintage? or was

at he should be accepted as an equal, and the others thus pointedly ignored, plea

'It's only California; it

ore this evening and bring a basket of wine with you; I'll try and find the food,' he said. 'And

aid Herrick. 'But t

' from A

said

readful sickness

?' asked Huish, ''

, out of thirty-three souls upon the island.- That's a strange way to

everything's dese

twater; 'that is why the house i

claimed Herrick, 'Why, when it came t

nd no one able to go about except the sexton and myself. We held a council of war, took the . . . empty bottles . . . into the lagoon, and buried

s, fell at once into the false measure of societ

lad,' he said. 'At half-past

s been tuned to t

e deep when the

r of funereal solemnity. 'I shall particularly expect Mr Whish,'

my boy!' replied

?' said Attwater. 'Mr Whish and Captain Brown at six

called

him could see that he hearkened close to every syllable, and seemed to ponder and try it in balances. It would have been hard to say what look there was, cold, attentive, and sinister, as of a man maturing plans, which still brooded ove

a start. 'You were talki

. 'Well, let's talk of

overdue, I understand?

n Brown,' said Attwater; 'thirty-

plies between here and .

nths; three trips in th

her, ever?'

said Attwater, 'one ha

ou?' cried Davis

h perfect, stern gravity. 'But it doe

th all your gods about you, and in as snug a berth as this.

ugh to indicate, is not entire

suppose?'

was shell,'

ir,' said the captain. 'Was there a - was the fi

it anyways anything,' said Attwa

pearls too?'

too,' sai

g cracked like a false piece. 'If you're not going to t

perfectly at home. The point on which we are now differing - if you can call it a difference - is one of times and seasons. I have some information which you think I might impart, and I think not. Well, we'll see tonight! By-by, Whish!' He stepped into his boat an

lowed it over the glittering floor of the lagoon. Attwater looked steadily back over his shoulders as he sat; he did not once remove his eyes from the Farallone and the group on her quarter-deck besi

a speaking countenance, called

were seated, 'there's one good job a

t be a good job

ith him, that's all! You'll get lots of pointers; you can find out what he has, and what

at next?' cried Herri

ious solemnity, 'I guess you know the bottom is out of this Farallone speculation? I guess you know it's RIGHT out? and

ick. 'No matter who's to blam

said the captain, 'and I'm obliged to you for the remin

'I am attracted and repelled. H

uish?' said

that engrossing task. 'Don't ast me what I think of him!' he said.

re's the real, first-rate, copper-bottomed aristocrat. 'AW' I DON'T KNOW YE, DO I? GOD DAMN YE, DID GOD MAKE YE?' No, that couldn't be nothing but genuine; a man got to be born to that, and notice! smart as champagne and hard as nails; no kind

'ear you,'

Hall, and the money for it straight into the bank, so that's no use to us. But what else is there? Is there nothing else he would be likely to keep here? Is there nothing else he would be bound to keep here? Yes, sir; the pearls! First, because they're too

'that's w'at it is; no

d,' said Da

ll so, and he had these pearls - a ten years' colle

ace, and Herrick as steadily looked upon the table and the pattering fingers; there was a gentle oscilla

errick burst

t no use for that fellow, whatever you may have. He's your kind, he's not ours;

?' repeat

shore, and talk him smooth; and if you get him and his pearls aboard, I'll spare him.

ess neither. Bring the bloke on board and bring his pearls along with him,

at streamed upon his face. 'You talk to me as if I w

'you better do your level

pparently by the trivial expression he had used, broke into a piece of the chorus of a comic song which he must have heard twenty years before i

d him to finish; hi

d. 'But I'm not that kind. I know you'd never go back on me, Herrick! Or if you cho

and called Huish, suddenly and violently, like the barking of

I know that man. If you open your m