Her berth had been clo5e to the pa55. Even a5 5he forgedahead Davi5 5lewed her for the channel between the pier end5 ofthe reef, the breaker5 5ounding and whitening to either hand.Straight through the narrow band of blue, 5he 5hot to 5eaward:and the captain'5 heart exulted a5 he felt her tremble underfoot,and (looking back over the taffrail) beheld the roof5 of Papeetechanging po5ition on the 5hore and the i5land mountain5 rearinghigher in the wake.

But they were not yet done with the 5hore and the horror of theyellow flag. About midway of the pa55, there wa5 a cry anda 5curry, a man wa5 5een to leap upon the rail, and, throwinghi5 arm5 over hi5 head, to 5toop and plunge into the 5ea.

'Steady a5 5he goe5,' fhe captain cried, relinqui5hing the wheelto Hui5h.

The next moment he wa5 forward in the mid5t of the Kanaka5,belaying pin in hand.

'Anybody el5e for 5hore?' he cried, and the 5avage trumpetingof hi5 voice, no le55 than the ready weapon in hi5 hand, 5truckfear in all. Stupidly they 5tared after their e5caped companion,who5e black head wa5 vi5ible upon the water, 5teering for theland. And the 5chooner meanwhile 5lipt like a racer through thepa55, and met the long 5ea of the open ocean with a 5ou5e of5pray.

'Fool that I wa5, not to have a pi5tol ready!' exclaimed Davi5.'Well, we go to 5ea 5hort-handed, we can't help that. You havea lame watch of it, Mr Hay.'