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Lopaka and Keawe looked at one another and nodded. "It is quite clear," thought Keawe, "that I am to have this house, whether or no. It comes from the devil, and I fear I will get little good by that; and of one thing I am sure, I will make no more wishes as long as I have this bottle. But with the house I am saddled, and I may as well take the good along with the evil."
And he paid over his money to the man, and the man handed him the bottle. "Imp of the bottle," said Keawe, "I want my fifty dollars back." And sure enough he had scarce said the word before his pocket was as heavy as ever. "To be sure this is a wonderful bottle," said Keawe. "And now good-morning to you, my fine fellow, and the devil go with you for me!" said the man.
But then, there is France: they have a small coin there which they call a centime, and these go five to the cent, or thereabout. We could not do better. Come, Keawe, let us go to the French islands; let us go to Tahiti as fast as ships can bear us. There we have four centimes, three centimes, two centimes, one centime; four possible sales to come and go on; and two of us to push the bargain.
“It is for that I am asking you,” returned Keawe. “But why are you so much concerned? Is there anything wrong about the price?” “It has dropped a great deal in value since your time, Mr. Keawe,” said the young man stammering. “Well, well, I shall have the less to pay for it,” says Keawe. “How much did it cost you?” The young man was as white as a sheet. “Two cents,” said he.
"Better and better!" cried Lopaka. "Here is all made plain for us. Let us continue to obey orders." So they went to the architect, and he had drawings of houses on his table. "You want something out of the way," said the architect. "How do you like this?" and he handed a drawing to Keawe.
"I reckon I'm going anyway," returned the sailor; "and this bottle's the best thing to go with I've struck yet. No, sir!" he cried again, "this is my bottle now, and you can go and fish for another." "Can this be true?" Keawe cried. "For your own sake, I beseech you, sell it me!" "I don't value any of your talk," replied the boatswain.
“And so they will,” says Keawe, and began again to lament for his relatives. “No,” said Lopaka, “do not lament at present. I have a thought in my mind. How if this should be the doing of the bottle? For here is the place ready for your house.” “If this be so,” cried Keawe, “it is a very ill way to serve me by killing my relatives.
As for Keawe, a weight was off his soul; now that he had his secret shared, and some hope in front of him, he seemed like a new man, his feet went lightly on the earth, and his breath was good to him again. Yet was terror still at his elbow; and ever and again, as the wind blows out a taper, hope died in him, and he saw the flames toss and the red fire burn in hell.
Soon after, darkness fell, and the cabins were lit up, and the Haoles sat and played at the cards and drank whisky as their custom is; but Keawe walked the deck all night; and all the next day, as they steamed under the lee of Maui or of Molokai, he was still pacing to and fro like a wild animal in a menagerie. Towards evening they passed Diamond Head, and came to the pier of Honolulu.
“Here is my respects,” said Keawe, who had been much about with Haoles in his time. “Yes,” he added, “I am come to buy the bottle. What is the price by now?” At that word the young man let his glass slip through his fingers, and looked upon Keawe like a ghost. “The price,” says he; “the price! You do not know the price?”
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