"'Twa'n't a nice night. They tried huddling together to keep dry, but
'twa'n't a success because there was always a row about who should be in
the middle. Then they kept passing personal remarks to one another.

"'If the skipper hadn't been so gay and uppish about choosing Rosy,'
says Julius, 'there wouldn't have been no trouble. I do hate a smart
Aleck.'

"'Who said draw straws?' sputters George, mad clean through. 'And who
'eld 'em? 'Ey? Who did?'

"'Well,' says Teunis, '_I_ didn't do it. You can't blame me.'

"'No. You set there like a bump on a log and let me and the mate put our
feet in it. You old fat 'ead! I--'

"They pitched into the cook until he got mad and hit the skipper. Then
there was a fight that lasted till they was all scratched up and tired
out. The only thing they could agree on was that Rosy was what the
skipper called a 'viper' that they'd nourished in their bosoms.

"Next morning 'twas worse than ever. Down comes the Kanaka with his
spear gang and routs 'em out and sets 'em to gathering breadfruit all
day in the hot sun. And at night 'twas back to the leaky hut again.

"And that wa'n't nothing to what come later. The lives that King Rosy
led them three was something awful. 'Twas dig in and work day in and day
out. Teunis had to get his majesty's meals, and nothing was ever cooked
right; and then the royal army got after the steward with spear handles.