I can ever forget that awful thirty minutes, nearly six years ago, when you kept me afloat off the Bampton Shoal? Now, Parker, just listen. I have a plan; the whole thing is arranged as soon as we leave here. But you and your wife must get away from this island soon after the Spitfire leaves. That infernal sweep, Howlman, will be sure to send another man-of-war after you——"

"Listen to me, sir. I, too, have a plan. You shall not ruin yourself for me. You are only a very young man, sir, and have the world before you. I dread nothing but the temporary separation from Tui here. To me my arrest means only dismissal from the service and a couple of years in gaol; and likely enough, I shall get back here again without much trouble."

"No, I——"

"Don't waste time, sir. Call the escort, but for God's sake, sir, do the thing quickly; look at my girl, sir, and let me get away before I break down too, and act the coward. If you don't call the escort at once, I will."

"You madman, Parker," began Carteret, and then Tui threw her arms round her husband.

"Are you tired of me?" she sobbed. "Is this how you would leave the woman who loves you, and who will be the mother of your child?"

The deserter caught her in his arms, and looking over his shoulder at the lieutenant, said, "For God's sake, sir, don't wait. Call in your men and get it over."

"Parker, for Heaven's sake take this chance. I tell you, man, that I have no fear for myself. I don't care a straw about the Service if this is discovered."

"Stand aside, sir. I'm not the man to let you sacrifice yourself for me——" And unloosing his wife's arms from his neck, he advanced to the door.

"Very well; it is your own fault."

The next instant the lieutenant threw open the door.

"Sergeant, bring your men here."

Half an hour later Lieutenant Carteret reported to Commander Arness.

"I have brought the prisoner on board, sir. He is a man named Charles Parker, and was sergeant of marines on the Flycatcher?"

"Very good, Mr. Carteret What have you done with his wife?"

"She refused to leave, sir, and when we brought the man away, went off to the other side of the island."

When the Spitfire reached Sydney, Charles Parker was duly tried by court-martial, and in consequence of the friendly exertions of the principal witness against him, Lieutenant Neil Carteret, was let off lightly. He was dismissed from the service, and sentenced to imprisonment in a Sydney jail for eighteen months.

When his time had expired, he managed, after a few months of waiting about in Sydney, to work his way back to Anuda Island. And scarce had the boat touched the beach when he was seized by the welcoming arms of his native friends and carried ashore.

"Is it well with my wife, O friends?" he asked.

"It is well with her," they answered; "in a little while we will take you to her, but first let us tell thee of that which has befallen her on this island."

Then they told him.

"One day after the warship had gone," they said, "there came here a trading schooner from Niuafou. On the ship were Tepuaka, the King of Niuafou—the father of thy wife—and many of his men. And with him there came also the little fat white man named Opataia [Obadiah]. All those men that came with Tepuaka, the King, were lotu [Christians]. No sooner did they land, than Tepuaka and his friend, the fat little white man, Opataia, walked to the house of his daughter, thy wife, Tui, but all of his men he bade remain here in the village.

"'See,' said one of these men of Niuafou to us vauntingly, 'see what has come to pass! Tuilagi refused to take for her husband the good and pious man Opataia, but fled with this common white man, who is no better than a heathen. And then what comes? This bad white man is caught by his countrymen and put in a prison with chains upon his body. So now the King comes for his daughter, for even now is Opataia willing to