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Updated: June 21, 2025
“What ails you?” said Lopaka, “that you stare in your chest?” They were alone in the ship’s forecastle, and Keawe bound him to secrecy, and told all. “This is a very strange affair,” said Lopaka; “and I fear you will be in trouble about this bottle. But there is one point very clear—that you are sure of the trouble, and you had better have the profit in the bargain.
“There is only one thing I am afraid of,” said Keawe. “The imp may be very ugly to view; and if you once set eyes upon him you might be very undesirous of the bottle.” “I am a man of my word,” said Lopaka. “And here is the money betwixt us.” “Very well,” replied Keawe. “I have a curiosity myself. So come, let us have one look at you, Mr. Imp.”
“Let us go to the lawyer,” said Lopaka; “I have still this idea in my mind.” Now, when they came to the lawyer’s, it appeared Keawe’s uncle had grown monstrous rich in the last days, and there was a fund of money. “And here is the money for the house!” cried Lopaka. “If you are thinking of a new house,” said the lawyer, “here is the card of a new architect, of whom they tell me great things.”
What!" he thought, "would I beard the devil once, only to get me a house, and not face him again to win Kokua?" Thereupon he called to mind it was the next day the Hall went by on her return to Honolulu. "There must I go first," he thought, "and see Lopaka. For the best hope that I have now is to find that same bottle I was so pleased to be rid of."
But Lopaka was thinking to himself, and presently, when Keawe’s grief was a little abated, “I have been thinking,” said Lopaka. “Had not your uncle lands in Hawaii, in the district of Kau?” “No,” said Keawe, “not in Kau; they are on the mountain-side—a little way south of Hookena.” “These lands will now be yours?” asked Lopaka.
Now as soon as that was said the imp looked out of the bottle, and in again, swift as a lizard; and there sat Keawe and Lopaka turned to stone. The night had quite come, before either found a thought to say or voice to say it with; and then Lopaka pushed the money over and took the bottle. "I am a man of my word," said he, "and had need to be so, or I would not touch this bottle with my foot.
The architect told them that the house was ready, and Keawe and Lopaka took a passage in the Hall, and went down Kona way to view the house, and see if all had been done fitly according to the thought that was in Keawe’s mind. Now the house stood on the mountain side, visible to ships.
"Lopaka," said Keawe, "do not you think any worse of me than you can help; I know it is night, and the roads bad, and the pass by the tombs an ill place to go by so late, but I declare since I have seen that little face, I cannot eat or sleep or pray till it is gone from me.
When they had viewed all, Keawe and Lopaka sat on the porch. “Well,” asked Lopaka, “is it all as you designed?” “Words cannot utter it,” said Keawe. “It is better than I dreamed, and I am sick with satisfaction.” “There is but one thing to consider,” said Lopaka; “all this may be quite natural, and the bottle imp have nothing whatever to say to it.
"Well," said Lopaka, "let us carry it back with us to Hawaii; and if all comes true, as you suppose, I will buy the bottle, as I said, and ask a schooner." Upon that they were agreed, and it was not long before the ship returned to Honolulu, carrying Keawe and Lopaka, and the bottle. They were scarce come ashore when they met a friend upon the beach, who began at once to condole with Keawe.
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