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He sprang to his feet.

“Kim on,” said he, “we’ve gotta get water, grub, and nuts aboard her. The breaker’s lying back of the house. I’ll attend to the water; you can bring this stuff down and c’llect all you can from the houses—b’nanas and such-like. Hump yourself!”

Their canoe lay on the beach to the right of the village; it was fit and seaworthy for the very good reason that the native boys had been using it for sailing and fishing, and when Davis came on to the beach he found Harman stowing the water-breaker, the only figure visible, for the whole village was congregated where the great feast was going on in the break amidst the trees.

They were running no risks. They wanted food for a fortnight, and they took it—took it from the deserted houses and from the trees where the pandanus drupes hung in the starlight and the great banana clusters stood like golden candelabra waiting to be lit.

Then they pushed off, and the harbour took them and the night, against which stood the Douro, swinging to the outgoing tide on a taut anchor-chain.