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asleep in his berth； and it had been Momulla the Maori who
had led the attack upon the officer of the watch。
Gust； after his own peculiar habit； had found means to
delegate to the others the actual taking of life。 Not that
Gust entertained any scruples on the subject； other than those
which induced in him a rare regard for his own personal safety。
There is always a certain element of risk to the assassin；
for victims of deadly assault are seldom prone to die quietly
and considerately。 There is always a certain element of risk
to go so far as to dispute the issue with the murderer。
It was this chance of dispute which Gust preferred to forgo。
But now that the work was done the Swede aspired to the
position of highest command among the mutineers。 He had
even gone so far as to appropriate and wear certain articles
belonging to the murdered captain of the Cowriearticles of
apparel which bore upon them the badges and insignia of authority。
Kai Shang was peeved。 He had no love for authority； and
certainly not the slightest intention of submitting to the
domination of an ordinary Swede sailor。
The seeds of discontent were； therefore； already planted in the camp
of the mutineers of the Cowrie at the north edge of Jungle Island。
But Kai Shang realized that he must act with circumspection；
for Gust alone of the motley horde possessed sufficient
knowledge of navigation to get them out of the South Atlantic
and around the cape into more congenial waters where they might
find a market for their ill…gotten wealth； and no questions asked。
The day before they sighted Jungle Island and discovered
the little land…locked harbour upon the bosom of which the
Cowrie now rode quietly at anchor； the watch had discovered
the smoke and funnels of a warship upon the southern horizon。
The chance of being spoken and investigated by a man…of…war
appealed not at all to any of them； so they put into hiding
for a few days until the danger should have passed。
And now Gust did not wish to venture out to sea again。
There was no telling； he insisted； but that the ship they had
seen was actually searching for them。 Kai Shang pointed out
that such could not be the case since it was impossible for
any human being other than themselves to have knowledge
of what had transpired aboard the Cowrie。
But Gust was not to be persuaded。 In his wicked heart he
nursed a scheme whereby he might increase his share of the
booty by something like one hundred per cent。 He alone
could sail the Cowrie； therefore the others could not leave
Jungle Island without him； but what was there to prevent
Gust； with just sufficient men to man the schooner； slipping
away from Kai Shang； Momulla the Maori； and some half
of the crew when opportunity presented？
It was for this opportunity that Gust waited。 Some day
there would come a moment when Kai Shang； Momulla； and
three or four of the others would be absent from camp；
exploring or hunting。 The Swede racked his brain for some plan
whereby he might successfully lure from the sight of the
anchored ship those whom he had determined to abandon。
To this end he organized hunting party after hunting party；
but always the devil of perversity seemed to enter the soul of
Kai Shang； so that wily celestial would never hunt except
in the company of Gust himself。
One day Kai Shang spoke secretly with Momulla the Maori；
pouring into the brown ear of his companion the suspicions
which he harboured concerning the Swede。 Momulla was for
going immediately and running a long knife through
the heart of the traitor。
It is true that Kai Shang had no other evidence than the
natural cunning of his own knavish soulbut he imagined
in the intentions of Gust what he himself would have been
glad to accomplish had the means lain at hand。
But he dared not let Momulla slay the Swede； upon whom
they depended to guide them to their destination。
They decided； however； that it would do no harm to attempt to
frighten Gust into acceding to their demands； and with this
purpose in mind the Maori sought out the self…constituted
commander of the party。
When he broached the subject of immediate departure
Gust again raised his former objectionthat the warship
might very probably be patrolling the sea directly in their
southern path； waiting for them to make the attempt to reach
other waters。
Momulla scoffed at the fears of his fellow； pointing out
that as no one aboard any warship knew of their mutiny there
could be no reason why they should be suspected。
〃Ah！〃 exclaimed Gust； 〃there is where you are wrong。
There is where you are lucky that you have an educated man
like me to tell you what to do。 You are an ignorant savage；
Momulla； and so you know nothing of wireless。〃
The Maori leaped to his feet and laid his hand upon the
hilt of his knife。
〃I am no savage；〃 he shouted。
〃I was only joking；〃 the Swede hastened to explain。 〃We are
old friends； Momulla； we cannot afford to quarrel； at least
not while old Kai Shang is plotting to steal all the pearls
from us。 If he could find a man to navigate the Cowrie he
would leave us in a minute。 All his talk about getting away
from here is just because he has some scheme in his head to
get rid of us。〃
〃But the wireless；〃 asked Momulla。 〃What has the wireless
to do with our remaining here？〃
〃Oh yes；〃 replied Gust； scratching his head。 He was wondering
if the Maori were really so ignorant as to believe the
preposterous lie he was about to unload upon him。 〃Oh yes！
You see every warship is equipped with what they call a
wireless apparatus。 It lets them talk to other ships hundreds
of miles away； and it lets them listen to all that is said on
these other ships。 Now； you see； when you fellows were
shooting up the Cowrie you did a whole lot of loud talking； and
there isn't any doubt but that that warship was a…lyin' off south
of us listenin' to it all。 Of course they might not have learned
the name of the ship； but they heard enough to know that the
crew of some ship was mutinying and killin' her officers。 So you
see they'll be waiting to search every ship they sight for a
long time to come； and they may not be far away now。〃
When he had ceased speaking the Swede strove to assume
an air of composure that his listener might not have his
suspicions aroused as to the truth of the statements that
had just been made。
Momulla sat for some time in silence； eyeing Gust。 At last
he rose。
〃You are a great liar；〃 he said。 〃If you don't get us on
our way by tomorrow you'll never have another chance to lie；
for I heard two of the men saying that they'd like to run
a knife into you and that if you kept them in this hole any
longer they'd do it。〃
〃Go and ask Kai Shang if there is not a wireless；〃 replied Gust。
〃He will tell you that there is such a thing and that vessels
can talk t