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therea rough crowd。 They planned to get his head。 The son of their
chief； old One…Eyed Billy； had recruited on Lunga and died of dysentery。
That meant that a white man's head was owing to Suuany white man； it
didn't matter who so long as they got the head。 And Young was only a
lad； and they made sure to get his easily。 They decoyed his whale…boat
ashore with a promise of recruits； and killed all hands。 At the same
instant； the Suu gang that was on board the Minerva jumped Young。 He
was just preparing a dynamite stick for fish； and he lighted it and tossed it
in amongst them。 One can't get him to talk about it； but the fuse was
short； the survivors leaped overboard； while he slipped his anchor and got
away。 They've got one hundred fathoms of shell money on his head now；
which is worth one hundred pounds sterling。 Yet he goes into Suu
regularly。 He was there a short time ago； returning thirty boys from Cape
Marshthat's the Fulcrum Brothers' plantation。〃
〃At any rate； his news to…night has given me a better insight into the
life down here；〃 Joan said。 〃And it is colourful life； to say the least。
The Solomons ought to be printed red on the chartsand yellow； too； for
the diseases。〃
〃The Solomons are not always like this；〃 Sheldon answered。 〃Of
course； Berande is the worst plantation； and everything it gets is the worst。
I doubt if ever there was a worse run of sickness than we were just getting
over when you arrived。 Just as luck would have it； the Jessie caught the
contagion as well。 Berande has been very unfortunate。 All the old…
timers shake their heads at it。 They say it has what you Americans call a
hoodoo on it。〃
〃Berande will succeed；〃 Joan said stoutly。 〃I like to laugh at
superstition。 You'll pull through and come out the big end of the horn。
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The ill luck can't last for ever。 I am afraid； though； the Solomons is not a
white man's climate。〃
〃It will be； though。 Give us fifty years； and when all the bush is
cleared off back to the mountains； fever will be stamped out； everything
will be far healthier。 There will be cities and towns here； for there's an
immense amount of good land going to waste。〃
〃But it will never become a white man's climate； in spite of all that；〃
Joan reiterated。 〃The white man will always be unable to perform the
manual labour。〃
〃That is true。〃
〃It will mean slavery；〃 she dashed on。
〃Yes； like all the tropics。 The black； the brown； and the yellow will
have to do the work； managed by the white men。 The black labour is too
wasteful； however； and in time Chinese or Indian coolies will be imported。
The planters are already considering the matter。 I； for one； am heartily
sick of black labour。〃
〃Then the blacks will die off？〃
Sheldon shrugged his shoulders； and retorted； …
〃Yes； like the North American Indian； who was a far nobler type than
the Melanesian。 The world is only so large； you know； and it is filling
up〃
〃And the unfit must perish？〃
〃Precisely so。 The unfit must perish。〃
In the morning Joan was roused by a great row and hullabaloo。 Her
first act was to reach for her revolver； but when she heard Noa Noah； who
was on guard； laughing outside； she knew there was no danger； and went
out to see the fun。 Captain Young had landed Satan at the moment when
the bridge…building gang had started along the beach。 Satan was big and
black； short…haired and muscular； and weighed fully seventy pounds。 He
did not love the blacks。 Tommy Jones had trained him well； tying him up
daily for several hours and telling off one or two black boys at a time to
tease him。 So Satan had it in for the whole black race； and the second
after he landed on the beach the bridge…building gang was stampeding
over the compound fence and swarming up the cocoanut palms。
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〃Good morning；〃 Sheldon called from the veranda。 〃And what do
you think of the nigger…chaser？〃
〃I'm thinking we have a task before us to train him in to the house…
boys；〃 she called back。
〃And to your Tahitians； too。 Look out； Noah！ Run for it！〃
Satan； having satisfied himself that the tree…perches were unassailable；
was charging straight for the big Tahitian。
But Noah stood his ground； though somewhat irresolutely； and Satan；
to every one's surprise； danced and frisked about him with laughing eyes
and wagging tail。
〃Now； that is what I might call a proper dog；〃 was Joan's comment。
〃He is at least wiser than you； Mr。 Sheldon。 He didn't require any
teaching to recognize the difference between a Tahitian and a black boy。
What do you think； Noah？ Why don't he bite you？ He savvee you
Tahitian eh？〃
Noa Noah shook his head and grinned。
〃He no savvee me Tahitian；〃 he explained。 〃He savvee me wear
pants all the same white man。〃
〃You'll have to give him a course in 'Sartor Resartus；'〃 Sheldon
laughed； as he came down and began to make friends with Satan。
It chanced just then that Adamu Adam and Matauare； two of Joan's
sailors； entered the compound from the far side…gate。 They had been
down to the Balesuna making an alligator trap； and； instead of trousers；
were clad in lava…lavas that flapped gracefully about their stalwart limbs。
Satan saw them； and advertised his find by breaking away from Sheldon's
hands and charging。
〃No got pants；〃 Noah announced with a grin that broadened as Adamu
Adam took to flight。
He climbed up the platform that supported the galvanized iron tanks
which held the water collected from the roof。 Foiled here； Satan turned
and charged back on Matauare。
〃Run； Matauare！ Run！〃 Joan called。
But he held his ground and waited the dog。
〃He is the Fearless Onethat is what his name means；〃 Joan explained
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to Sheldon。
The Tahitian watched Satan coolly； and