Willy did not understand all that the honest helmsman said for he was half talking to himself, but he got enough to realize that they were in great danger, and that Green scarcely knew what to do. Why did Redbeard wish their death? Green had told him a number of times, but the boy could not understand the question of the property, even after it was explained to him, and now there was no time to talk about it. "Be quick, go get Peppo for me," repeated the helmsman, instead of answering his questions. "The crisis may come any moment. In the meantime pray to your guardian angel, who once saved you miraculously from the power of these monsters."

A few minutes later Peppo slipped down to the steerage and delivered Green's message to his uncle, and he in turn held a secret counsel with the most resolute of his companions. They talked much of the warning which the God of the Golden Fish had given them about keeping out of broils without arriving at any conclusion, though their feelings prompted them to wreak vengeance on the Captain for his rough treatment of them. While they were talking a voice from the crow's nest called, "Land—ahoy!" and in a moment the ship was all life. The boatswain sounded his pipe calling every sailor to his place and the Captain came on deck to give orders. On the left in the South Sea a wooded hill rose from the water, and quickly became larger, as the ship flew towards it like a bird. The Captain and Redfox stepped up to the wheel and the Captain said to Green, "We must heave to."

"What? Heave to in such a fine breeze as this? What have we got for the cannibals over there?"

"We must have water," said the Captain without looking at the helmsman. "Redfox says that the cask has leaked and that there is not enough water to last us through to Australia."

"I saw the cask yesterday, and then there was no leak in it. If it is empty now there has been foul play."

"Hello! What ails the man?" cried Redfox. "Who has been doing the foul play?"

"Since you ask I'll tell you. You have. And as you let the water run out you can see to getting more to put in. Under no circumstances will I do it."

"Well, Captain, what do you think of the fellow's impudence? I say he belongs in chains," cried Redfox in a rage.

"Quite right. Insubordination on shipboard cannot be tolerated. Either you take a small boat and go for water to fill the cask or I'll put you in irons. A dozen Chinamen and the small interpreter are to accompany you."

"Just as I thought. And your nephew is to go, too, and when we are on shore the 'St. George' is to take advantage of favoring breezes, and we are to be left for the cannibals. You'll have to murder the boy and me right here; we'll not run our heads into any such trap. Heda! my little Chinaman, now is the time for your countrymen to defend themselves. The responsibility is mine," and with these words he threw himself upon Redfox who drew out his knife with a curse. Green struck him a blow that knocked him senseless, and then turned on the Captain, who called loudly for help. The sailors to a man rushed to his aid, while the Chinamen refused to mix in the white men's quarrel. Green was quickly overpowered and was thrown into chains in the steerage. There the Captain also put the boys who had openly taken the helmsman's part.



CHAPTER X.

The Hurricane.

In utmost astonishment the sailors looked after the helmsman and the two boys as they were led away. All honored and trusted Green as a man true to his duty and a brave comrade; the Captain's nephew was the favorite of the crew, and everybody liked faithful little Peppo. What did it all mean? Now before their very eyes the helmsman had attacked the first officer and the Captain, and even commanded the Chinamen to be insubordinate, and the boys openly had taken sides with the helmsman.

"Green has lost his mind," cried an old sailor.

"It must be so," answered his companion. "Perhaps he is moonstruck; more than one good fellow has gone moonstruck in the tropics."

"He must be out of his mind," put in the Captain, "but that's a matter for the judge to find out. You can testify as to what he said and did, and if the judge sends him to the mad-house instead of the gallows, I shall be glad. Redfox has fortunately recovered himself after the murderous attack and is going into my cabin." The Captain started across the deck. "But hello, here!—What's the matter? The wind has changed all of a sudden, or rather the breeze has ceased. The sails are flapping against the mast, and the pennons are not moving. Every man to his post," he shouted. "I fear the wind will veer suddenly before we have time to turn round, and blow harder than will be pleasant for us. Gray, go to the wheel. The rest of you mount the rigging, furl the sails, all, even the great topsail. Oh, here, you Chinamen, get down stairs."

The scene which had just taken place on deck had so absorbed the attention of the entire crew that now for the first time they took note of the change. There was the same long swell on the sea, but the beautiful blue green waters had taken on a dull leaden hue. The sky was threatening; instead of being azure, as it had been for weeks, it was of a peculiar grayish color, although not a cloud was visible. In the west the sun surrounded by a dark halo was going down. First a dark bank of clouds appeared above the horizon; then quickly, like a giant's hand with outstretched fingers to grasp the ship which lay motionless on the waters, it spread until it covered the sun. With greatest anxiety the sailors watched the signs of the approaching hurricane, making what preparations they could by furling the sails, locking the hatchways, and fastening every rope securely.

"We're going to have a hurricane, I fear, Captain. Just see how the quicksilver has dropped in the barometer, and we are right upon this accursed island with its coral reefs. God have mercy on us or we are lost," said Gray.

White with fear he looked at the barometer, then at the sky. Already the rumblings of the storm could be heard, and in the distance sheets of foam like a mist were being driven before the wind.

"It will be here in a moment. The first shock will strike us on the side.—If we only don't capsize," said the Captain.

"I cannot turn the ship against the wind so long as it is lying still like this. We must let the waves wash over us—there!"

While Gray was speaking the storm broke and went howling through the rigging, filling the only sail which was unfurled. The mast creaked; the ship groaned in all its joints, as it tipped on its side until the ends of the yards touched the water, and for one awful moment it seemed as if it could not right itself. Then yielding to the rudder it swung round to the west, and offered the point of the bow to the storm. Only the fact that it was very strongly built saved it from destruction.

"Keep to the south as much as you can," called the Captain.

"The first danger is over," said Gray breathless, "but what now? How am I to steer a ship that won't and can't be steered in such a storm as this. I wish Green were here in my place."

"Keep to the south as much as you can. Every inch that we get away from the Soloman Islands is so much away from sure destruction. If we can only avoid those coral reefs we shall be safe.—Oh, that I was ever fool enough to listen to Redfox and steer for those accursed islands." These last words the Captain muttered under his breath, as he realized how quickly God's punishment was overtaking him.

"To the south, Captain, so long as mast and sails remain and the good ship yields to the rudder; but do let Green come and take my place. I am not capable of steering in such a storm as this."

The Captain left Gray and went immediately to the room where the helmsman was chained. The thrashing of the vessel, and the noise of the waves dashing over its decks told that a frightful storm was raging, and of the dangers of the coral reefs he knew only too well. Consequently he said when the Captain came in, "It is no time now to talk of grievances and discipline, you need my help. I give you my word that when the ship is saved, if saved it can be, I will put on my chains again."

"I hope it will not be necessary. You will see that there is some misunderstanding.—What was that awful crash? Death is upon us," cried the Captain, interrupting himself.

"One of the masts has broken and gone over board!" cried Green. "Come quickly or we'll go to the bottom. Bring the two boys into the cabin and let them pray. If God will not spare these two innocent children there is no hope for the rest of us. We can only repent and prepare for the end."

A moment later Green was on deck. The mizzen-mast had broken off, but still hung to the side of the vessel with all its tackling.

"Cut the ropes and clear the ship; then try one of the jib-sails, otherwise there will be no such thing as steering," he said.

The sailors obeyed quickly. They were approaching nearer and nearer to the reefs, over which the breakers washed with a thundering noise.

"If only the jib-sail will stand the pressure on it, perhaps we can avoid the reefs. I reckon they are not a half mile away; the ship yields a little," said Green.

The Captain again came on board, but avoided the helmsman. To Gray he said, "Put out the flying-jib so as to be prepared in case the jib does not hold, and get ready to cast the anchor." The sailors took their places at the capstan and made ready to lower the anchor. Meantime the night had settled down quickly, for in the tropics night follows the going down of the sun without any twilight. There was a rainbow but thick banks of clouds driven along by the storm hid it. The darkness was so intense that you could not see the top of the mast, and even on the deck it was impossible to distinguish objects only a step or two away. Now and again a flash of lightning showed the foaming breakers washing over the reefs and the dark outlines of the island beyond them. Anxiously every eye was turned towards the point of danger.

"We're not two knots away from those accursed islands," said Gray.

"The storm is rising. The sails will be in shreds in a moment. Such waves I have never seen before," answered Gray.

The ship danced like a nutshell on the raging waters. The bowsprit raised itself high in the air, while the stern was buried in the trough of the sea. All clung to the ropes or whatever object presented itself expecting to be washed overboard, as the boat shook and creaked in its agony.

Hanging for dear life to the railing near the wheel the Captain looked upon the uproar of the elements, and must have admitted to himself that the helmsman's words of accusation were only too well founded. A frightful cry shook his soul. "Cain, where is thy brother Abel? What hast thou done with thy brother's child? What judgment will be pronounced on thee?" Now he did not seek to put the guilt on his corrupter, his bad angel, but admitted that he was guilty, and despair almost broke his heart. "There is no forgiveness, miserable sinner," whispered the arch enemy. "Thou art a murderer, thy brother's murderer!" Then came back a happier thought, a picture of his innocent youth. He saw himself before the miraculous image of the Blessed Virgin, which he then so often visited. There were the lights of many candles, and her motherly eyes looking down upon him, and at the foot of the image written on a little tablet these words: "Mother of mercy, refuge of sinners: pray for us." Like a friendly star in the night of awful darkness came this bright picture, and in his agony he cried to heaven: "O Lord, give me time to repent and atone for my sins."

The vessel swept on. The wind tore the sails to shreds. The sailors cast the anchor. With a thud it went into the sea, and for a moment held the vessel.

"Cut the masts," thundered the Captain. The sailors obeyed orders, but with the first stroke of the ax, above the roaring of winds and waves came the awful human cry: "The anchor is lost! We're drifting!"

"God have mercy on our souls," cried Green crossing himself, and the Captain fell on his knees, moaning, "Mercy, mercy, O Lord, have mercy on us!"

A dazzling streak of lightning showed the white outlines of the reef and the next moment a wave mountain high washed the vessel upon it.



CHAPTER XI.

Stranded.

When the ship stranded on the reef all on board were thrown from their feet, and the anguishing cries of the shipwrecked mingled with the creaking of the vessel and the roaring of the waves. The two boys found themselves in utter darkness in a corner of the cabin. Willy, the first to recover himself sufficiently to speak, said:

"Oh, Peppo, are you alive?"

"I thought the ship was sinking and that we were drowning. Oh, if we had only all repented and atoned," groaned Peppo.

"Hear your people calling," said Willy.

"They are not baptized and will go to hell. Shall we not try to baptize them? Come, quickly, let us try. If I could only find the door—here it is. Come, come."

Willy wished to make the effort with his little friend acting as interpreter and preacher, but scarcely had he and Peppo groped their way out of the cabin before they found themselves caught in a crowd of human beings, who screaming and howling at the top of their lungs, were making their way from the steerage into which the water was streaming. The prow of the ship had struck the reef and was high above the water while great waves washed over the stern. All were crowding up the narrow gangway and soon with three hundred Chinaman on deck there was not an inch of space not covered with water which was unoccupied. In their fear of death they climbed what was left of the rigging and hung there like monkeys calling upon Buddha and all the heathen gods for help and giving utterance to wild, maniacal shrieks. The boys would have been pushed overboard in this panic had it not been that they fell in with the Captain and helmsman who protected them as best they could.

"Tell your people," cried Green to Peppo, "that there is no need of this frightful, insane howling. We are so securely lodged that we cannot possibly sink, and the wreck will hold together until morning. Five minutes ago when I saw that we were going to strike the reef, I wouldn't have given a pipeful of tobacco for all our lives." And the Captain said to Willy in a more friendly manner than he had ever spoken: "You prayed well, my little man."

"Will the first officer also be good to me?" asked Willy, happy to receive a kind word.

"Hello, Redfox," cried Green, "we quite forgot you in this mad scramble," and the helmsman went to him and helped him along the deck. "We are all in the same fix, and as Christians who pray 'Our Father' we should forgive and be brothers. Here is my hand." The first officer refused the proffered hand, turning his back on the honest helmsman.

The night with its raging storm wore away; towards morning the moon showing itself in a rift in the clouds lighted the scene. Scarcely two ships' lengths away the sea thundered on the beach; farther out the waves, mountain-high, rolled in endless succession; to the right and left extended the reef like a wall, several meters above the water, except in one place it sank down so abruptly that even at low tide it was under water.

"Truly it is a marvel that we struck this reef just in this particular place, instead of there where it breaks off so abruptly," said the Captain, "yet we are not in a fortunate position. We have been saved from sudden death, but in its place we shall have a lingering and perhaps more agonizing one. The ship is a total loss. The provisions in the stern are under water, and the nearest port is a thousand miles away."—Today the great island of Bougainville, on the east coast of which the "St. George" stranded, belongs to Germany, and now it is not so difficult for those who meet with misfortunes at sea to reach a German harbor, but at the time of my story the nearest ports were those of Australia and New Caledonia.—"How are three hundred Chinamen to live here for an indefinite length of time?"

The full light of day revealed the fact that the reef which was of great length was only a few feet wide and separated from the main land by an inlet of water. The first thing that the Captain did was to order the Chinamen to take what was left of the sails and build themselves tents; then he gave his attention to the question of the water supply.

"We must cross to the main land and get some drinking water," he said, "for we have only one cask left."

"Just enough to last the big boat on its trip to Australia," whispered Redfox to the Captain. "You and I and Gray, and a couple of the strongest of the young fellows will attempt the journey. Let Green and the boys stay here with the Chinamen until we bring help. Our plans will come out all right after all. The half million for which the ship is insured will be ours—and we shall be able to take it with a clear conscience, too."

"No, Redfox, enough of your machinations. I have resolved to turn over a new leaf, and to do good hereafter, that is, if there is any good left in me. We must fix up these people the best that we can with the wreckage of the ship, build a fort for them yonder on that little brook, and give them arms and provisions, then we will cast lots as to who is to go in the open boat to the nearest Australian port."

The Captain went on then with preparations for crossing to the island for drinking water and edible fruits. Unfortunately the powder and firearms were all under water, so that the men had to make the dangerous landing armed only with clubs and knives. The Captain led the party, taking with him four sailors, a dozen or more Chinamen, and small Peppo to act as interpreter. Willy would have gone gladly, but his uncle would not hear to his risking his life unnecessarily.

"I'll pray for you, uncle," said the boy, "that it won't go with you as—as—"

"As certain people had planned it for you and others," the uncle finished the sentence of the faltering child. "Yes, pray that the old saying that 'He who digs a grave for another, himself falls therein,' may not be fulfilled." Turning to Redfox, he asked: "Don't you want to go with me?"

The latter muttered something under his breath and slipped away. The Captain gave the signal and soon they were on the opposite shore. A group of natives came down to greet them, seemingly in friendly fashion, offered them fruit, and helped to roll the casks up on the beach; then all of a sudden with unearthly shrieks they fell upon them with their clubs. With difficulty the Captain and two sailors managed to get into the boat and across the inlet, to where their companions, pale with fear, stood shuddering to think of the awful fate of their comrades.

"Poor, poor Peppo," wailed Willy, "can't we help him? Will he be eaten up by the cannibals?"

Immediately there appeared on the shore whole troops of cannibals, and more poured out of the woods. Swinging their clubs and giving frightful war cries they challenged the intruders to do battle with them.

"Quickly, boatswain," said the Captain, "order the Chinaman to make a raft from the beams of the boat, and to arm themselves as best they can. We must force a landing and get some drinking water or we are lost. It we only had half a dozen guns and some ammunition.—Just listen to the cries of these men whom they are putting to death," said the Captain, turning his eyes away from the sickening sight. [1]

By means of signs the boatswain tried to incite the Chinamen to action. They understood perfectly well what was wanted but remained passive, for Lihoa reminded them of the warning of the God of the Golden Fish not to engage in any strife.

"Leave the cowards to their fate," said Gray. "We'll take the single cask of water, the salted meat and hardtack which we fished out of the sea and get out of here tonight secretly."

The sailors to a man agreed to this plan, but as the boat would hold only six persons the thing could not be managed. The Captain offered to remain, and asked who was willing to stay with him. The helmsman was the only one to signify his willingness to stay; the rest preferred to settle the matter by drawing lots. According to this Redfox and Gray were to remain, so the Captain appointed Green to direct the boat to Australia.

"Green, you are the only man equal to the task, and I give my nephew into your keeping. The boy's life must be saved. The dangers which threaten you on this perilous trip are scarcely less than those which we face here. Perhaps on some neighboring island you can get drinking-water, perhaps you will fall in with some ship which will come to our rescue. If we are here a month, yes, a week, even, without drinking-water, what then? But as God wills. For my part I will willingly offer my life as a sacrifice in atonement for the past. May the best of fortune favor you, and may you save the life of my nephew. The insurance on this boat all goes to him; and if you rescue him, send him to Father Somazzo in Hongkong. If you cannot save us, come back and see that our bones receive decent Christian burial."

Thus spoke the Captain. The helmsman, who would willingly have stayed behind on the dreary reef, made ready for the trip and at midnight set sail with the ebb of the tide.



[1] NOTE.—What is told here and in the following chapter concerning the cannibals happened at the time that the "St. Paul" was wrecked on the Island of Rossel in July, 1858. Compare this account with the one found in Jos. Spillmann's story, called "Over the South Sea."



CHAPTER XII.

At Last.

Night had settled down. The Chinamen lay under their tents and listened to what Lihoa spoke: "So far we have avoided discord; from the sea we have been saved, and now surely the God of the Golden Fish will not let us perish from thirst. Within a few days it must rain; drinking-water will come to us from the heavens. Tonight, I understand, that the helmsman is to set sail for Australia in a small boat, and take the boy with him. That will never do. As you know the Captain and Redbeard are the helmsman's enemies and have conspired against his life. He will not come back to save them—he would be a fool if he did—but he loves the boy. Our only salvation lies in keeping the boy here with us; in holding him as a whiplash over the helmsman. Otherwise we are lost."

All nodded assent to Lihoa's words, but as they had no way of telling the Captain what they wanted, they decided that when the time came for the boat to sail they would forcibly detain Willy. Just here little Peppo, whom they thought dead, appeared in their midst. He and one sailor had escaped and swum across the little inlet. The cannibals had not killed them when they did their companions for some reason or other but had bound them with cords and left them on the shore. These cords they had managed to unfasten, and, protected by the darkness, had got away. While the sailor was telling his companions of his awful experience Lihoa told Peppo what to say to the Captain, and to add force to the words, the Chinamen in a body attended the small interpreter on his mission. Great was the noise and excitement following his announcement, but how could a handful of men oppose three hundred Chinaman? Willy was ready to stay behind.

"Tommy," he said to the helmsman, "leave me here with Peppo and my uncle. In the boat I'd only be in the way. I'll pray that you may return soon. Good luck to you. Be brave of heart, Tommy, and may your holy guardian angel watch over you."

Those embarking promised faithfully to come back or to send help as soon as possible, and parted with tears in their eyes. Tommy kissed Willy and said: "God knows that if I do not put my faith in your guardian angel there is little hope of ever seeing you again on this earth. Once more good-bye until we meet again. Pray for us all, little one."

Thereupon he sprang into the boat, and they were off. The moon was full and in its light they could be seen as they passed through the opening in the reef. Again they called farewell and waved their handkerchiefs. The crew raised the sail and in a few moments the stiff breeze had carried the little boat beyond the tongue of land and out of sight. With hearts too full for utterance the men sat and wondered what the future would bring. If by chance the boat fell in with a merchant vessel—not a likely thing, as few vessels frequented this route—help might come soon, otherwise under the most favorable of circumstances they must wait for months for Green to go to Australia and come back.

In the crow's nest of the mast which was still standing they kept a constant watch in the hope of sighting a vessel and signalling of their distress. Day after day went by with no sign of help. Mercilessly the tropical sun burned down on the dreary sandbar. Scurvy broke out. The small amount of rations which they had, water-soaked biscuits and salted meats, increased their thirst, and to add to their distress the cannibals on the opposite shore mockingly showed them bunches of luscious bananas and other tropical fruits.

"Don't look there any more, Willy," said Peppo. "Those dreadful cannibals are only just showing us the fruit to tantalize us, and if we go after it we shall be murdered and eaten up the way I've told you about."

"But, Peppo, I think the thirst is just as bad as being killed," complained Willy, "I'd just as soon be killed as die of thirst."

"That's just what my people were saying today," answered Peppo. "Lihoa told them that they were to be patient a little longer, that the rain would surely come for he had seen unfailing signs. We will bear the thirst with patience for a little time yet. You know why I want them to hold out. I want to convert them. My poor countrymen!"

"Peppo! how came you to think of that?" said Willy, looking at his friend with open eyes.

"I don't know. Just a little while ago when I was praying the thought came to me, and I firmly believe that God saved me from the cannibals for this purpose. I have been talking to Lihoa and the others about the belief in Jesus Christ and baptism, and many of them said that if our God would save them now in their hour of peril, they would be baptized. The most of them are looking for help from one of their gods who rides on a Golden Fish. They expect he will be forced to rescue them from this miserable reef through the offerings of one of their priests."

"A God that rides on a Golden Fish? I'd like to see him," said Willy. "You are right about advising them to be baptized. We may all perish here before Tommy gets back with help. And if we do, the Chinese with the holy grace of baptism will go to heaven. If we are all saved, then they will take back with them to Hongkong a greater treasure than all the gold of the Goldland to the south. That would be such a fine thing for yon, Peppo! Do you not remember what Father Somazzo said about the saving of a soul—that one precious soul was worth more to God than all the gold and jewels in the world. What a happy boy you will be, if you save not one but three hundred souls? Oh, if I only understood Chinese and could help you explain our faith!"

"You can help by offering this awful desire for water to God as a sacrifice. Father Somazzo used to tell us to offer up many unpleasant little things as sacrifices to God for the conversion of the heathens and promised us our reward for so doing."

Willy did as Peppo suggested and his thirst became easier to bear. Captain Brown who happened to be standing by and overheard this conversation most heartily approved of the plan. Since the rescue from the shipwreck he had been a different man. Redfox no longer held him in his power; drinking and gambling had no attractions for him and he turned away from "his bad angel" in disgust. His sins and frivolity he repented most sincerely, and with tears in his eyes, he said to the boys, "If only you and the rest can be saved I will give my life.—O Lord, Lord, take my life as atonement for the past," he prayed aloud.

Next day Lihoa's prophecy came true. The heavens clouded over and there came a frightful thunderstorm. The rain poured down. The thirsty men caught it by spreading out the sails and soon the empty casks were filled. Its coming gave relief to dire distress but brought with it a new misery. The water soaked and rotted the sun-dried wood of the wreck, which the Chinese had made into small huts, until fever broke out to add to the suffering caused by scurvy. The coming of the fever more than anything else caused the Chinese to lose their faith in the God of the Golden Fish.

"Neither by discord, the sea, nor thirst, concerning which our lying priest warned us, have we lost a single one of our number, but now disease rages until our men die like flies," said Lihoa.

From this time on all of the sick were willing to be baptized—not by the Captain but by the two boys, Willy and Peppo. The Captain became very ill and Willy nursed him. Redfox was taken with fever, and in his delirium would trust no one to wait upon him. Constantly he cried "Water! water!" then would not take it when offered him. Willy gave him a glass and he threw it at his head screaming, "Poison! poison! The boy wants to poison me!" One morning he was gone. His companions searched for him in vain, and finally recognized his agonizing cries from the opposite shore where the cannibals were torturing him. In his delirium he had swum across the narrow inlet which separated them from their enemies; his heartrending cries told of the reception accorded him. "Oh, if he had only repented!" cried the boys with a shudder, as they listened.

* * * * * *

The rainy season had been over for weeks and again the water in the casks was running short. When it was gone, what then?—Men looked death in the face and prepared for it. Of the crew barely a dozen were left; and of the Chinamen not more than fifty, and all of them were suffering from scurvy. They wandered about looking more like ghosts than human beings, and now still another danger threatened. For a long time they had noticed that the cannibals were preparing to attack them.

"How shall we protect ourselves?" asked the Captain; "if they really do fall upon us, we are lost. Willy go have Peppo tell his people who have not been baptized that it is high time that they attend to the matter, and then climb the mast to see if you can make out what the cannibals are doing. We will sell our hides as dearly as possible."

Willy delivered the message to Peppo, and climbed the mast, which after the destruction of the wreck had been put up on the shore as a place from which to keep a lookout for passing vessels rather than to spy on the neighbors opposite. The sailors were so sick and weak that none of them could climb the mast to the crow's nest, so the task always devolved on the two boys, who though they had eaten of the salt meat, had not as yet been attacked with scurvy. This time instead of watching the sea Willy gave his attention to the natives who had built a raft and were manning it to cross the inlet and make an attack. After reporting what he saw his uncle called to him to come down and help baptize the Chinamen. Just then the boy glanced seaward and to his surprise discovered a ship lying at anchor not a mile away. "Holy guardian angel! Blessed Mother of God!" he cried in joy. "A ship! a ship! A ship in sight! Ship—ahoy! Wait, wait, they're coming! They're launching a small boat!" Willy was so excited that he did not know what he was saying, as he slid down the mast and ran for the shore followed by all his companions.

It was really true that a ship was at anchor but a short distance away and that the needed help was at hand, for, "When need is greatest God's help is nearest." Just as the first raft loaded with cannibals attempted to land, a boat with Tommy Green at the helm appeared in the opening of the coral reef and a half dozen shots sufficed to frighten away the enemy. A moment or two later Willy was in the arms of his old friend. It did not take long for the men who had survived the horrors of life on the coral reef to make their way to "The South Star."

What had been Tommy Green's experiences at sea in an open boat? He told of storms, a calm, hunger, and thirst, and how more than once he and his companions were in utter despair, but ever to their minds in the hour of greatest trial came the thought "Surely the guardian angels of those two innocent boys will not desert us."

"And they have not," said Tommy, "for they have brought us to you now when you needed us most. Is that not true, my children."

With good care and treatment the most of the sick recovered before "The South Star" put into the harbor of Hongkong. On disembarking at Willy's request the Captain gave each of the Chinamen a sum of gold, which to them seemed a great fortune. Lihoa thanking the Captain for himself and his people said, "This is not the real treasure which we have brought home with us; our real treasure is the true religion." Full of joy they went back to their little hamlet where they told of their experiences and soon converted many of their people to the Christian faith. Still greater than the rejoicing in the little hamlet was that at the College of the Holy Saviour when the shipwrecked boys put in their appearance. Brother Onufrio shed tears of joy and Father Somazzo was deeply moved when told of the sufferings endured on the coral reef. "God has done all things for the best," he said, "and His guardian angels watched over you, my children, in your hour of greatest need."

When the excitement attendant upon the arrival of the sufferers had somewhat died down Tommy Green asked to be received as lay brother in the congregation of missioners, in accordance with a solemn vow he made on the night of the shipwreck. Captain Brown showed a desire to follow his example, but God in His mercy took the deed for the word, calling the repentant man to Him within a few months. The two boys continued their studies in the College. Peppo became a missioner, and is perhaps this very day carrying on his blessed work among his people. Willy made law his life work and had an honorable career in his chosen profession.

THE END