"All that day and the next the girl and I worked at building a little
house for us to live in until the ships had gone. We had no fear of any
one seeking us out in that place, for it had a bad name and none but
travelling parties from Ro|an Kiti ever passed there. Sipi had brought
with her a basket of cooked food; in the deserted plantations we found
plenty of bananas and yams, and in the stream at the foot of the valley
we caught many small fish. Four days went by, and then one morning we
saw the ships set their sails and go to sea. We watched them till they
touched the sky rim and disappeared; then we went back to Jakoits.

"The white man and Solepa were sitting under the shade of a tree in
front of their house. I went boldly up to him and asked him to give me
work to do. At first he was angry, for he and my captain were great
friends, and said he would have naught to do with me. Why did I run away
from such a good man and such a good ship? There were too many men like
me, he said, in Ponapé, who had run away so that they might do naught
but wander from village to village and eat and drink and sleep. Then
again he asked why I had run away.

"'Because of her,' I said, pointing to the girl Sipi, who was sitting at
the gate with her face covered with the corner of her mat. 'But I am no
_tafao vale_.[10] I am a true man. Give me work on thy ship.'

"He thought a little while, then he and Solepa talked together, and
Solepa bade Sipi come near so that she might talk to her. Presently he
said to me that I had done a foolish thing to run away for the sake of
the girl when I had money coming to me and when the captain's heart was
filled with friendship towards me for turning aside Franka's pistol.

"I bent my head, for I was ashamed. Then I said, 'I care not for the