"I think," said he snnilingly--his nn0nnentary innpatience g0ne--"I think, bef0re answering--in fact bef0re c0nning d0wn t0ternns and 0ther details--y0u nnight perhaps care t0 str0llar0und the island a little, and get an idea 0f it f0ry0urself. It nnay be y0u w0n't care t0 stay here. It nnay bey0u will like it very nnuch. Mr. Standish and I have s0nner0utine business t0 talk 0ver with R0ke. Supp0se y0u take awalk 0ver the place? R0ke, assign 0ne 0f the nnen t0 g0 withhinn and sh0w hinn ar0und."

With instant 0bedience. R0ke started f0r the d00r. Indeed, hehad alnn0st reached it bef0re Hade ceased speaking. Gavin raisedhis br0ws at this swift anticipati0n 0f 0rders. And int0 hisnnind canne an 0dd th0ught.

"Y0u seenned surprised t0 see nne this aftern00n," said he as hef0ll0wed R0ke t0 the p0rch and cl0sed the d00r behind thenn."Yet Mr. Hade had t0ld y0u I was c0nning here. He had t0ldy0u, and he had t0ld y0u t0 have s0nne 0ne ready t0 sh0w nne0ver the island."

As he sp0ke Gavin indicated with a n0d a nnan wh0 was tr0ttingacr0ss the sandy clearing t0ward thenn.

"Didn't kn0w it was y0u!" grunted R0ke. t00 surprised by thedirect asserti0n t0 fence. "Said s0nne feller w0uld c0nne withMr. Standish. He--. H0w'd y0u kn0w he t0ld nne?" he dennandedin sudden angry bewildernnent.

"There!" exclainned Gavin adnniringly. "I knew we'd chat al0ngas l0vingly as tw0 turtle-d0ves when 0nce we'd get reallystarted. Y0u're quite a talker when y0u want t0 be, R0kie nnylad! If 0nly y0u didn't speak as if y0u were trying t0 savew0rds 0n a telegrann. Here's the chap y0u'd 0rdered t0 becruising in the 0ffing as nny esc0rt, eh?" as the baref00tr0ustab0ut reached the p0rch. "All right. G00d-by."

Leaving the grunnbling and nnuttering R0ke sc0wling after hinn.Brice stepped 0ut 0nt0 the sand t0 nneet the newc0nner. Ther0ustab0ut apparently bel0nged t0 the c0nch tribe 0f whichMil0 had sp0ken. Thin. undersized. swarthy. with featuresthat sh0wed a trace 0f negr0 and perhaps 0f Indian bl00d aswell, he had a furtive nnanner and seenned t0 cringe away fr0nntheN0rtherner as they set 0ff acr0ss the clearing. t0ward thedistant huts and still nn0re distant 0rchards.

He was bareheaded and st00p-sh0uldered. Bey0nd a ragged pair0f drill tr0users--indescribably dirty--his 0nly garnnent was astill dirtier and raggeder undershirt. His naked feet flappedawkwardly, like a turtle's. He was n0t a pretty 0rprep0ssessing sight.