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〃He will tell you that there is such a thing and that vessels
can talk to one another across hundreds of miles of water。
Then say to the two men who wish to kill me that if they
do so they will never live to spend their share of the
swag； for only I can get you safely to any port。〃
So Momulla went to Kai Shang and asked him if there was
such an apparatus as a wireless by means of which ships
could talk with each other at great distances； and Kai Shang
told him that there was。
Momulla was puzzled； but still he wished to leave the
island； and was willing to take his chances on the open sea
rather than to remain longer in the monotony of the camp。
〃If we only had someone else who could navigate a ship！〃
wailed Kai Shang。
That afternoon Momulla went hunting with two other Maoris。
They hunted toward the south； and had not gone far
from camp when they were surprised by the sound of voices
ahead of them in the jungle。
They knew that none of their own men had preceded them；
and as all were convinced that the island was uninhabited；
they were inclined to flee in terror on the hypothesis that the
place was hauntedpossibly by the ghosts of the murdered
officers and men of the Cowrie。
But Momulla was even more curious than he was superstitious；
and so he quelled his natural desire to flee from the supernatural。
Motioning his companions to follow his example； he dropped
to his hands and knees； crawling forward stealthily and
with quakings of heart through the jungle in the direction
from which came the voices of the unseen speakers。
Presently； at the edge of a little clearing； he halted； and
there he breathed a deep sigh of relief； for plainly before him
he saw two flesh…and…blood men sitting upon a fallen log and
talking earnestly together。
One was Schneider； mate of the Kincaid； and the other
was a seaman named Schmidt。
〃I think we can do it； Schmidt；〃 Schneider was saying。
〃A good canoe wouldn't be hard to build； and three of us
could paddle it to the mainland in a day if the wind was right
and the sea reasonably calm。 There ain't no use waiting for
the men to build a big enough boat to take the whole party；
for they're sore now and sick of working like slaves all day long。
It ain't none of our business anyway to save the Englishman。
Let him look out for himself； says I。〃 He paused for a moment；
and then eyeing the other to note the effect of his next words；
he continued； 〃But we might take the woman。 It would be a shame
to leave a nice…lookin' piece like she is in such a
Gott…forsaken hole as this here island。〃
Schmidt looked up and grinned。
〃So that's how she's blowin'； is it？〃 he asked。 〃Why didn't
you say so in the first place？ Wot's in it for me if I help you？〃
〃She ought to pay us well to get her back to civilization；〃
explained Schneider； 〃an' I tell you what I'll do。 I'll just
whack up with the two men that helps me。 I'll take half an'
they can divide the other halfyou an' whoever the other
bloke is。 I'm sick of this place； an' the sooner I get
out of it the better I'll like it。 What do you say？〃
〃Suits me；〃 replied Schmidt。 〃I wouldn't know how to
reach the mainland myself； an' know that none o' the other
fellows would； so's you're the only one that knows anything
of navigation you're the fellow I'll tie to。〃
Momulla the Maori pricked up his ears。 He had a smattering
of every tongue that is spoken upon the seas； and more
than a few times had he sailed on English ships； so that he
understood fairly well all that had passed between Schneider
and Schmidt since he had stumbled upon them。
He rose to his feet and stepped into the clearing。 Schneider and
his companion started as nervously as though a ghost had risen
before them。 Schneider reached for his revolver。 Momulla raised
his right hand； palm forward； as a sign of his pacific intentions。
〃I am a friend；〃 he said。 〃I heard you； but do not fear
that I will reveal what you have said。 I can help you； and you
can help me。〃 He was addressing Schneider。 〃You can navigate
a ship； but you have no ship。 We have a ship； but no one to
navigate it。 If you will come with us and ask no questions
we will let you take the ship where you will after you
have landed us at a certain port； the name of which we will
give you later。 You can take the woman of whom you speak；
and we will ask no questions either。 Is it a bargain？〃
Schneider desired more information； and got as much as
Momulla thought best to give him。 Then the Maori suggested
that they speak with Kai Shang。 The two members of the
Kincaid's company followed Momulla and his fellows to a
point in the jungle close by the camp of the mutineers。
Here Momulla hid them while he went in search of Kai Shang；
first admonishing his Maori companions to stand guard over
the two sailors lest they change their minds and attempt
to escape。 Schneider and Schmidt were virtually prisoners；
though they did not know it。
Presently Momulla returned with Kai Shang； to whom he
had briefly narrated the details of the stroke of good fortune
that had come to them。 The Chinaman spoke at length with
Schneider； until； notwithstanding his natural suspicion of
the sincerity of all men； he became quite convinced that
Schneider was quite as much a rogue as himself and that the
fellow was anxious to leave the island。
These two premises accepted there could be little doubt
that Schneider would prove trustworthy in so far as accepting
the command of the Cowrie was concerned； after that Kai
Shang knew that he could find means to coerce the man into
submission to his further wishes。
When Schneider and Schmidt left them and set out in the
direction of their own camp； it was with feelings of far
greater relief than they had experienced in many a day。
Now at last they saw a feasible plan for leaving the island
upon a seaworthy craft。 There would be no more hard labour
at ship…building； and no risking their lives upon a crudely
built makeshift that would be quite as likely to go to the
bottom as it would to reach the mainland。
Also； they were to have assistance in capturing the woman；
or rather women； for when Momulla had learned that there
was a black woman in the other camp he had insisted that
she be brought along as well as the white woman。
As Kai Shang and Momulla entered their camp； it was
with a realization that they no longer needed Gust。
They marched straight to the tent in which they might expect to
find him at that hour of the day； for though it would have
been more comfortable for the entire party to remain aboard
the ship； they had mutually decided that it would be safer for
all concerned were they to pitch their camp ashore。
Each knew that in the heart of the others was sufficient
treachery to make it unsafe for any member of the party to
go ashore leaving the others in possessi