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me； 'go about； or you'll have me aground！' He yelled other things； much
worse。 But I didn't mind。 I missed stays； pretty as you please； and the
Flibberty drifted down on him and fouled him； and we went ashore
together in as nice a mess as you ever want to see。 Miss Lackland
transferred the recruits； and the trick was done。〃
〃But where was she during the nor'wester？〃 Sheldon asked。
〃At Langa…Langa。 Ran up there as it was coming on； and laid there
the whole week and traded for grub with the niggers。 When we got to
Tulagi； there she was waiting for us and scrapping with Burnett。 I tell you；
Mr。 Sheldon； she's a wonder； that girl； a perfect wonder。〃 Munster
refilled his glass； and while Sheldon glanced across at Joan's house；
anxious for her coming； Sparrowhawk took up the tale。
〃Gritty！ She's the grittiest thing； man or woman； that ever blew into
the Solomons。 You should have seen Poonga…Poonga the morning we
arrivedSniders popping on the beach and in the mangroves； war… drums
booming in the bush； and signal…smokes raising everywhere。 'It's all up；'
says Captain Munster。〃
〃Yes； that's what I said；〃 declared that mariner。
〃Of course it was all up。 You could see it with half an eye and hear it
with one ear。〃
〃'Up your granny；' she says to him；〃 Sparrowhawk went on。 〃'Why；
we haven't arrived yet； much less got started。 Wait till the anchor's down
before you get afraid。'〃
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〃That's what she said to me；〃 Munster proclaimed。 〃And of course it
made me mad so that I didn't care what happened。 We tried to send a
boat ashore for a pow…wow； but it was fired upon。 And every once and a
while some nigger'd take a long shot at us out of the mangroves。〃
〃They was only a quarter of a mile off；〃 Sparrowhawk explained； 〃and
it was damned nasty。 'Don't shoot unless they try to board；' was Miss
Lackland's orders； but the dirty niggers wouldn't board。 They just lay off
in the bush and plugged away。 That night we held a council of war in the
Flibberty's cabin。 'What we want；' says Miss Lackland； 'is a hostage。'〃
〃'That's what they do in books；' I said； thinking to laugh her away from
her folly；〃 Munster interrupted。 〃'True；' says she； 'and have you never
seen the books come true？' I shook my head。 'Then you're not too old
to learn；' says she。 'I'll tell you one thing right now；' says I； 'and that is I'll
be blowed if you catch me ashore in the night…time stealing niggers in a
place like this。'〃
〃You didn't say blowed；〃 Sparrowhawk corrected。 〃You said you'd
be damned。〃
〃That's what I did； and I meant it； too。〃
〃'Nobody asked you to go ashore；' says she； quick as lightning；〃
Sparrowhawk grinned。 〃And she said more。 She said； 'And if I catch
you going ashore without orders there'll be trouble understand； Captain
Munster？'〃
〃Who in hell's telling this； you or me？〃 the skipper demanded
wrathfully。
〃Well； she did； didn't she？〃 insisted the mate。
〃Yes； she did； if you want to make so sure of it。 And while you're
about it； you might as well repeat what she said to you when you said you
wouldn't recruit on the Poonga…Poonga coast for twice your screw。〃
Sparrowhawk's sun…reddened face flamed redder； though he tried to
pass the situation off by divers laughings and chucklings and face…
twistings。
〃Go on； go on；〃 Sheldon urged； and Munster resumed the narrative。
〃'What we need；' says she； 'is the strong hand。 It's the only way to
handle them； and we've got to take hold firm right at the beginning。 I'm
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going ashore to…night to fetch Kina…Kina himself on board； and I'm not
asking who's game to go for I've got every man's work arranged with me
for him。 I'm taking my sailors with me； and one white man。' 'Of course；
I'm that white man；' I said； for by that time I was mad enough to go to hell
and back again。 'Of course you're not；' says she。 'You'll have charge of
the covering boat。 Curtis stands by the landing boat。 Fowler goes with
me。 Brahms takes charge of the Flibberty； and Sparrowhawk of the Emily。
And we start at one o'clock。'
〃My word； it was a tough job lying there in the covering boat。 I
never thought doing nothing could be such hard work。 We stopped about
fifty fathoms off； and watched the other boat go in。 It was so dark under
the mangroves we couldn't see a thing of it。 D'ye know that little；
monkey…looking nigger； Sheldon； on the Flibberty… …the cook； I mean？
Well； he was cabin…boy twenty years ago on the Scottish Chiefs； and after
she was cut off he was a slave there at Poonga…Poonga。 And Miss
Lackland had discovered the fact。 So he was the guide。 She gave him
half a case of tobacco for that night's work〃
〃And scared him fit to die before she could get him to come along；〃
Sparrowhawk observed。
〃Well； I never saw anything so black as the mangroves。 I stared at
them till my eyes were ready to burst。 And then I'd look at the stars； and
listen to the surf sighing along the reef。 And there was a dog that barked。
Remember that dog； Sparrowhawk？ The brute nearly gave me heart…
failure when he first began。 After a while he stoppedwasn't barking at
the landing party at all； and then the silence was harder than ever； and the
mangroves grew blacker； and it was all I could do to keep from calling out
to Curtis in there in the landing boat； just to make sure that I wasn't the
only white man left alive。
〃Of course there was a row。 It had to come； and I knew it； but it
startled me just the same。 I never heard such screeching and yelling in
my life。 The niggers must have just dived for the bush without looking
to see what was up； while her Tahitians let loose； shooting in the air and
yelling to hurry 'em on。 And then； just as sudden； came the silence again…
…all except for some small kiddie that had got dropped in the stampede and
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that kept crying in the bush for its mother。
〃And then I heard them coming through the mangroves； and an oar
strike on a gunwale； and Miss Lackland laugh； and I knew everything was
all right。 We pulled on board without a shot being fired。 And； by God！
she had made the books come true； for there was old Kina…Kina himself
being hoisted over the rail； shivering and chattering like an ape。 The rest
was easy。 Kina…Kina's word was law； and he was scared to death。 And
we kept him on board issuing proclamations all the time we were in
Poonga…Poonga。
〃It was a good move； too； in other ways。 She made Kina…Kina order
his people to return all the gear they'd stripped from the Martha。 And back
it came； day after day； steering compasses； blocks and tackles； sails； coils
of rope； medicine chests； ensigns； signal flagseverything； in fact； except
the trade goods and supplies which had already been kai…kai'd。 Of course；
she gave them a few sticks of tobacco to keep them in good humour。〃
〃Sure she did；〃 Sparrowhawk broke forth。 〃She gave the beggars five
fathoms of calico for the big mainsail； two sticks of tobacco for the
chronometer； and a sheath…knife worth elevenpence ha'penny for a
hundred fathoms of brand new five…inch manila。 She got old Kina…Kina
with that strong hand on the go off； and she kept him going all the time。
Shehere she comes now。〃
It was with a shock of surprise that Sheldon greeted her appearance。
All the time； while the tale of happening at Poonga… Poonga had been
going on； he had pictured her as the woman he had always known； clad
roughly； skirt ma