The Pearl Fishers

k for the first hour, and then, as if popped into their hands by the hand of luck, came a beauty, a perfect white pearl

with it in front of them began to speculate and talk. They felt now that time was theirs, and Schumer knew, though Floyd was still to learn, that the flower of success blooms only on the youngest shoots, that the joy o

d to work it as a hog works a wood fo

first day's work was ample confirmation of the riches lying

e would be worth much more than if they were different, for they would form the basis for a collection. You would never dream of the work that goes on in the world matching these things. There are men at it all the time in Paris and London and Amsterdam. A perfect necklace of pearls once formed is always held together; it becomes an individual

never settled-our shares in this business.

er la

ed not take her seriously into our calculations. Our shares-well, don't you think it's a bit ea

to get. When you sign on in a ship you know your pay, and you know the latitudes you have got to work in, and you know the time you

" said Schume

hat trade stuff and provisions from the wreck, your energy and enterprise and your work. When I said half shares I did not mean that all the trade and provisions of the Tonga should not be taken into consideration. I would suggest that when we settle up I should pay you for all that out of my share. Then there is the money of the Tonga and the Cormorant. While I hold that Coxo

to you," said Schumer, "t

borrowed a boat to explore the lagoon, the whole affair would have been given away. I am not argui

e, daring and predominant, hard and predatory. It was as though the

Schumer, "that the bo

Tonga?" s

d uneasily; th

for the trade and provisions; it's early to talk of divid

acks to the lagoon and their faces to the sea; the wind had almost died away, and now as they turned they saw, aw

signal!" s

" cried

of Isbel moving about near the fire. She was putting fresh brus

ell still untouched. There was no time to cast all that back in the lagoon or hide the evidence of their work; it was necess

ch, Isbel was there, and

"Schooner, I think

ss the reef towa

just by standing on the reef where the wreck had been they could see the sail, and Schumer, after a brie

topsail schooner, with all sail set

er to be; but it is deceitful at this distance. Wonder what she is? Wonder what she's doing down here? She

t the sky. The sea had lost all trace of the late storm,

a spell with the glasses; "but she seems to be handled by lubbers. Eith

asses and watched h

he storm. At the suggestion of Schumer, Floyd, with a flag tied round his neck like a huge muffler, and with a hammer and some nails in his pocket, swarmed

ined unseen, for

s well as stupi

the lagoon she may hit that reef we noticed the other day on the left of the entranc

y began launching the boat. They rowed out throug

us now," s

t was the Stars and Stripes. Then it

erican flag went down again and was replace

said Floyd,[Pg 85] "and rather confused

t the canvas and the

and fifty tons, and well found, to judge by her general appe

ith men, all natives; not a white face showed, and as they bo

explain themselves, some in broken English and some i

m he judged with unerring eye to be in some position of

econd, and only Schum

alk En

replied the big man.

uestions! What schooner

Sudden

rn Cross; w

o't in de Sol'mons. Capen, of

as it? What was yo

"Capen

humer. "Well, what are all th

picked up down de Sol'mo

your

ra,

dozen Solomon Islanders, some wearing nothing but G strings, nearly all with shell rings

arder lot of natives than these.

ss state, as not a soul on board knew anything of navigation. There had been four white men-the captain, two mates, and a third man, evidently a trader or labor recruiter

ce, he ordered the boat to be streamed astern

r leave, he gave his orders no le

essel fell apart from the crew, who sprang to the braces at the order of their[Pg 8

d as they neared it Schumer ordered Floyd forward

oss responded to her helm as a sensitive horse to the bit, and like a great white cloud she gli

the anchor chain sounded over the water as she came to in

r hand, and some of the Kanaka crew, recognizing her as a n

nchor, Schumer continued to give orders t

turned t

id he, "I propose we go down and have

people yet?" asked Floyd, following h

round. Hello, you nigger!" this to Mountain Joe, who had followed them[Pg 88]

n Joe v

the door of the saloon, "do you beli

their match. There was fighting on deck, for there was a bullet mark on the wheel, one of the spokes was injur

s of the saloon by the door

that!"

Floyd, "there has been figh

ard their side of the story yet. Come on

evidently the captain's. Here things were in order, the bunk

on his bunk or in it? These Kanakas are fools-soft heads; they can't put two and tw

dently had contained the papers, sign of[Pg 89] papers or

e away with th

s the old man swallowed them before

a peg by the bunk at

an American dollar, a tobacco pouch, and a pipe. He returned

"they may give us some news. Now let's l

ore the contents. It contained mostly clothes, boots, some island curios, and

d the portrait of a stout woman-th

o, or maybe a few days ago, and now vanished utterly; done to death, most probably, by the savages on deck. But Schumer did not seem

ed to see, and there's no use in leaving those fellows on deck[Pg 90] too long without attention.

of these chaps l

f by the fishing ground. Looks like Providence, doe

id Floyd, as he followed his

mly; "but they'll be softer

s, leaning over the bulwark rails, were staring at the shore. There was no sign of disorder or danger; the unfortunat

he is left to his own resources. Schumer's prompt action in bringing them into the lagoon, the way he handled th

taut by the outgoing tide, to be hauled alongside, then he told Mountain J

e big Kanaka and give him some refreshment, and then,[Pg 91] taking Floyd by the arm, he led him ov

Sch

a plan to go on at the start. A lot of darned fools blunder along in the businesses th

y of labor. Good management and foresight has given us a lot of trade, provi

't touch the ground here; they must be segregated over there at the fishing ground. We have a splendid strategical position, with a section of th

y. Our policy is to keep them happy af

f all I am going to show them exactly how things st

e will have a talk wi

e the dusky bos'n was wiping his

ing by. When she saw Floyd and Schumer approaching, she went

her deck leaning on the bulwark rails, and eviden

mer, taking his seat on the sand beside Flo

rette papers, proceeded to roll a cigarette. As he ran the tip of

at lie," said he, "abo

some one had made an

h p'isoni

going to see justice done. Your captain was killed, the mates were killed, and the other white man was done away with and ho

t and drew out a revolver, w

To begin with, I doubt if you had any hand in the killing. I j

re dry; his tongue could

, it was

of those Solo

s,

did it? There's always o

as si

again, without the least change in his voice, b

, wid de woolly

ed to

noticed him, and I

oyage for the Southern Cross. They had been recruiting down in the Solom

h a box of trade goods and without any weapons, while a co

ears, one of which had pierced Markham's arm. With the spear still in his arm, he had managed to get off, and under protection of the fire from the covering

d; that did not add to their good temper. They tried to make the Solomon Islanders help in the working of the vessel, but these gentry had not engaged themselves for ship work, but plantation work, and they said so. The captain had bo

nd an ax wielded by the woolly-h

ad been swabbed, and the precious crew, without a navigating officer or the faintest notion of their exact pos

m, but they managed to weather it, and, se

e been telling me the truth. I am here t

yd aside, walked a few pace

I am going to make these chaps work the fishery, and I don't want a potential murder leader among them. That wouldn't do at all. Besides, they must be shown at once their position in the scheme of things, and that position is laborers working for decent pay, but under a strong hand. Besides, a

get your rifle, also, and come with me.

we have," said Floy

ng according to their lights. They only require fir

heir rifles and some extra ammunition. Then, w

of the boat, evidently suspecting nothin

st to come on board

when he had finished secur

wheel, and the white men, taking their seats, and with the rifles across their knees, Schumer threw his old pan

take a step

all evidently wondering what was up, and what the bearded

e dialect of the Solomons,

what wages the recruiter had pr

goods, tobacco, knives, and so forth what would be the equivalent of abo

Joe. He said that he and Floyd were owners of this island, which was a very pleasant place, as they could see for

lligence, he proceeded to roll a ciga

a year, if they desired[Pg 97] to return. The work was very easy, and play, com

eth answered this ques

have to collect so much shell-the amount would be fixed later-and for all shell collected o

ined to them, and the idea took ho

ty of trees, fruit, and in the lagoon fish. It seemed to them that they had dropped on their feet at last. They

satisfied by the success which had apparently met his offe

rs to Joe, and they were lined up again. Asked if they

g his knees, and nursing the rifle lying across his lap, bega

mon Islanders, but the other

isoning, but from blows. He told them that an English man-of-war was cruising in the neighborhood of the island, and that if she caught them they would undoubtedly

him, but justice must be done. It was impossible for white men to allow othe

ted, but he did believe that there was one am

a moment ago, were now a picture representing all th

ne s

you all from the consequences of what has been done; but I will not do so unless I can punish the man who was chief in this business. You will not show him to me; well, the

ugh they were going to break away and run, then they stood their ground; every eye was fixed on him as he

Schumer had made the crowd afraid, not of him, but of the consequences of their act, and to cap that,

ced his hand on his head. Then he snatched it away, as

e man," sai

nothing in it, but every man in that crowd

ype="