Hammond answered.

"When I told him about the rumpus, he set and laughed like an idiot.

"''Ow d'you like Miss 'Ankin's love-making?' he says.

"'You'll like it less'n I do,' I says, 'if she gets up here with that
club!'

"That kind of sobered him down again, and we got to planning. After a
spell, we decided that our only chance was to sneak down to the schooner
in the dark and put to sea, leaving Lobelia alone in her glory.

"Well, we waited till twelve o'clock or so and then we crept down to the
beach, tiptoeing past the shanty for fear of waking Lobelia. We got on
the schooner all right, hauled up anchor, h'isted sail and stood out of
the lagoon with a fair wind. When we was fairly to sea we shook hands.

"'Lawd!' says Hammond, drawing a long breath, 'I never was so 'appy in
my life. This 'ere lady-killing business ain't in my line.'

"He felt so good that he set by the wheel and sung, 'Good-by, sweet'art,
good-by,' for an hour or more.

"In the morning we was in sight of another small island, and, out on a
p'int, was a passel of folks jumping up and down and waving a signal.

"'Well, if there ain't more castaways!' says I.

"'Don't go near 'em!' says Hammond. 'Might come there was more Lobelias