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〃Just fancy；〃 said Bertie； as he felt a longing for the cruise to be over。
Later on in the day he interviewed the black who had been pointed out
to him as a cannibal。 This fellow's name was Sumasai。 He had spent three
years on a Queensland plantation。 He had been to Samoa； and Fiji； and
Sydney； and as a boat's crew had been on recruiting schooners through
New Britain； New Ireland； New Guinea； and the Admiralties。 Also； he was
a wag； and he had taken a line on his skipper's conduct。 Yes； he had eaten
many men。 How many？ He could not remember the tally。 Yes； white men；
too； they were very good； unless they were sick。 He had once eaten a sick
one。
〃My word！〃 he cried； at the recollection。 〃Me sick plenty along him。
'my belly walk about too much。〃
Bertie shuddered； and asked about heads。 Yes； Sumasai had several
hidden ashore； in good condition； sun…dried； and smoke…cured。 One was of
the captain of a schooner。 It had long whiskers。 He would sell it for two
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quid。 Black men's heads he would sell for one quid。 He had some
pickaninny heads； in poor condition； that he would let go for ten bob。
Five minutes afterward； Bertie found himself sitting on the
companionway…slide alongside a black with a horrible skin disease。 He
sheered off； and on inquiry was told that it was leprosy。 He hurried below
and washed himself with antiseptic soap。 He took many antiseptic washes
in the course of the day； for every native on board was afflicted with
malignant ulcers of one sort or another。
As the Arla drew in to an anchorage in the midst of mangrove swamps；
a double row of barbed wire was stretched around above her rail。 That
looked like business； and when Bertie saw the shore canoes alongside；
armed with spears； bows and arrows； and Sniders； he wished more
earnestly than ever that the cruise was over。
That evening the natives were slow in leaving the ship at sundown。 A
number of them checked the mate when he ordered them ashore。 〃Never
mind； I'll fix them；〃 said Captain Hansen； diving below。
When he cam back； he showed Bertie a stick of dynamite attached to a
fish hook。 Now it happens that a paper…wrapped bottle of chlorodyne with
a piece of harmless fuse projecting can fool anybody。 It fooled Bertie； and
it fooled the natives。 When Captain Hansen lighted the fuse and hooked
the fish hook into the tail end of a native's loin cloth； that native was
smitten with so an ardent a desire for the shore that he forgot to shed the
loin cloth。 He started for'ard； the fuse sizzling and spluttering at his rear；
the natives in his path taking headers over the barbed wire at every jump。
Bertie was horror…stricken。 So was Captain Hansen。 He had forgotten his
twenty…five recruits； on each of which he had paid thirty shillings advance。
They went over the side along with the shore…dwelling folk and followed
by him who trailed the sizzling chlorodyne bottle。
Bertie did not see the bottle go off； but the mate opportunely
discharging a stick of real dynamite aft where it would harm nobody；
Bertie would have sworn in any admiralty court to a nigger blown to
flinders。 The flight of the twenty…five recruits had actually cost the Arla
forty pounds； and； since they had taken to the bush； there was no hope of
recovering them。 The skipper and his mate proceeded to drown their
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sorrow in cold tea。
The cold tea was in whiskey bottles； so Bertie did not know it was cold
tea they were mopping up。 All he knew was that the two men got very
drunk and argued eloquently and at length as to whether the exploded
nigger should be reported as a case of dysentery or as an accidental
drowning。 When they snored off to sleep； he was the only white man left；
and he kept a perilous watch till dawn； in fear of an attack from shore and
an uprising of the crew。
Three more days the Arla spent on the coast； and three more nights the
skipper and the mate drank overfondly of cold tea； leaving Bertie to keep
the watch。 They knew he could be depended upon； while he was equally
certain that if he lived； he would report their drunken conduct to Captain
Malu。 Then the Arla dropped anchor at Reminge Plantation； on
Guadalcanar； and Bertie landed on the beach with a sigh of relief and
shook hands with the manager。 'mr。 Harriwell was ready for him。
〃Now you mustn't be alarmed if some of our fellows seem downcast；〃
Mr。 Harriwell said； having drawn him aside in confidence。 〃There's been
talk of an outbreak； and two or three suspicious signs I'm willing to admit；
but personally I think it's all poppycock。〃
〃Howhow many blacks have you on the plantation？〃 Bertie asked；
with a sinking heart。
〃We're working four hundred just now；〃 replied Mr。 Harriwell；
cheerfully； but the three of us； with you； of course； and the skipper and
mate of the Arla； can handle them all right。〃
Bertie turned to meet one McTavish； the storekeeper； who scarcely
acknowledged the introduction； such was his eagerness to present his
resignation。
〃It being that I'm a married man； Mr。 Harriwell； I can't very well afford
to remain on longer。 Trouble is working up； as plain as the nose on your
face。 The niggers are going to break out； and there'll be another Hohono
horror here。〃
〃What's a Hohono horror？〃 Bertie asked； after the storekeeper had
been persuaded to remain until the end of the month。
〃Oh； he means Hohono Plantation； on Ysabel；〃 said the manager。
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〃The niggers killed the five white men ashore； captured the schooner；
killed the captain and mate； and escaped in a body to Malaita。 But I always
said they were careless on Hohono。 They won't catch us napping here。
Come along； Mr。 Arkwright； and see our view from the veranda。〃
Bertie was too busy wondering how he could get away to Tulagi to the
Commissioner's house； to see much of the view。 He was still wondering；
when a rifle exploded very near to him； behind his back。 At the same
moment his arm was nearly dislocated； so eagerly did Mr。 Harriwell drag
him indoors。
〃I say； old man； that was a close shave；〃 said the manager； pawing him
over to see if he had been hit。 〃I can't tell you how sorry I am。 But it was
broad daylight； and I never dreamed。〃
Bertie was beginning to turn pale。
〃They got the other manager that way；〃 McTavish vouchsafed。 〃And a
dashed fine chap he was。 Blew his brains out all over the veranda。 You
noticed that dark stain there between the steps and the door？〃
Bertie was ripe for the cocktail which Mr。 Harriwell pitched in and
compounded for him； but before he could drink it； a man in riding trousers
and puttees entered。
〃What's the matter now？〃 the manager asked； after one look at the
newcomer's face。 〃Is the river up again？〃
〃River be blowedit's the niggers。 Stepped out of the cane grass； not a
dozen feet away； and whopped at me。 It was a Snider； and he shot from the
hip。 Now what I want to know is where'd he get that Snider？Oh； I beg
pardon。 Glad to know you； Mr。 Arkwright。〃
〃Mr。 Brown is my assistant；〃 explained Mr。 Harriwell。 〃And now let's
have that drink。〃
〃But where'd he get that Snider？〃 Mr。 Brown insisted。 〃I always
objected to keeping those guns on the premises。〃
〃They're still there；〃 Mr。 Harriwell said； with a show of heat。
Mr。 Brown smiled incredulously。
〃Come along and see；〃 said the manager。
Bertie joined the procession into the office； where Mr。 Harriwell
pointed triumphantly at a big packing case in a dusty corner。
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