United States or Falkland Islands ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
'Captain Oleson, she says, sweet as you please, 'I've a few minutes to spare on you, and I've got some good whisky over on the Emily. Come on along. Besides, I want your advice about this wrecking business. Everybody says you're a crackerjack sailor-man' that's what she said, 'crackerjack. And I went, in her whale-boat, Adamu Adam steering and looking as solemn as a funeral.
But I'll tell you what you can do for me issue some tobacco and other stuff they want to my men." An hour later the three men had shaken hands with Joan down on the beach. She gave the signal, and the boat shoved off, six men at the oars, the seventh man for'ard, and Adamu Adam at the steering-sweep.
For fear of poison, Sheldon had immediately scarified the wound and injected permanganate of potash; but in spite of the precaution the shoulder was swelling rapidly. "We'll take him on to where Tudor is lying," Joan said. "The walking will help to keep up his circulation and scatter the poison. Adamu Adam, you take hold that boy. Maybe he will want to sleep. Shake him up. If he sleep he die."
She was on board before I dropped the hook in that whale-boat of hers with her gang of Tahiti heathens that big Adamu Adam and the rest. 'Don't drop the anchor, Captain Oleson, she sang out. 'I want you to get under way for Poonga-Poonga. I looked to see if she'd been drinking. What was I to think?
Then came visions of Adamu Adam and Noa Noah and all her brawny Tahitian following, and his anxiety faded away, being replaced by irritation that she should have been capable of such wildness of conduct. And the irritation was still on him as he got up and went inside to stare at the hook on the wall and to wish that her Stetson hat and revolver- belt were hanging from it.
They had had much to do with white men, and had learned never to question the strange ways of the strange breed. If these two saw fit to go out and kill each other, that was their business and not the business of the islanders, who took orders from them. They stepped to the gun-rack, and each picked a rifle. "Better all Tahitian men have rifles," suggested Adamu Adam. "Maybe big trouble come."
Neither principal must go outside its boundaries. Are you satisfied?" "Quite. But have you any objections if I leave some orders?" "Not at all," Tudor acquiesced, the pink of courtesy now that his wish had been granted. Sheldon clapped his hands, and the running house-boy hurried away to bring back Adamu Adam and Noa Noah. "Listen," Sheldon said to them.
With Tudor, Adamu Adam and Arahu were to stop as guards, the latter Tahitian being selected to remain because of a bad foot which had been brought about by stepping on one of the thorns concealed by the bushmen.
The Poonga-Poonga men's laughter died down, and they regarded the spectacle with glittering eyes and gluttonous expressions. The Tahitians, on the other hand, were shocked, and Adamu Adam was shaking his head slowly and grunting forth his disgust. Joan was angry. Her face was white, but in each cheek was a vivid spray of red. Disgust had been displaced by wrath, and her mood was clearly vengeful.
Then I saw the Flibberty's mainsail hoisting, and heard the clank of her chain coming in, and I woke up. 'Here, put me on the Flibberty, I said to Adamu. 'I put you on the beach, said he. 'Missie Lackalanna say beach plenty good for you. Well, I let out a yell and reached for the steering-sweep. I was doing my best by my owners, you see.
Word Of The Day