XI. HIGH CHIEF KATAAFA 183 XII. SMUGGLED ARMS 202 XIII. UKULA ATTACKED 221 XIV. COUNT ROSEN TAKES CHARGE 240 XV. THE “DE FACTO” GOVERNMENT 259 XVI. CARL KLINGER 277 XVII. BEN STUMP LISTENS 293 XVIII. A “CUTTING OUT” EXPEDITION 310 XIX. A REËNFORCEMENT 327 XX. THE TABLES TURNED 345 XXI. A RECONNAISSANCE 362 XXII. WAR IN EARNEST 377 XXIII. CONCLUSION 395 Illustrations PAGE “ISN’T IT WORTH COMING FOR?” _Frontispiece_ THREE AMERICAN OFFICERS WERE STANDING IN THE ROAD 51 “I WANT ABOUT A DOZEN SAILORS” 128 HE BEGAN AT ONCE TO WAVE IT 204 “YOU ARE SIMPLY A BULLY!” 281 “IS IT QUITE CLEAR?” THE ADMIRAL ASKED 329 HE DID NOT FIRE 385 A United States Midshipman in the South Seas CHAPTER I THE RIVAL CHIEFS A man-of-war boat propelled by six sailormen and with the flag of the United States flying from its staff navigated the tortuous channel through the fringing coral reef and landed upon the sandy beach of the harbor of Ukula. Three American naval officers from the cruiser “Sitka” stepped from the boat upon the shore. In the great public square on Kulinuu Point at one end of the town many thousands of the natives of the Kapuan Islands had gathered. They had come from all the villages of the islands by special invitation from the Herzovinian consul for the purpose of giving welcome to their great war chief Kataafa, who had but just returned from five long years of exile in a foreign land. Toward this assemblage the three officers bent their steps. They were shown to their chairs by obsequious Herzovinian sailors and found themselves placed with the English officers from their war-ship in port. The Herzovinian officers sat close to their consul, who, in all the splendor of a court uniform, his chest covered with medals, was enthroned under a bower of freshly cut shrubs and flowers. The American captain, Commander Tazewell, regarded the Herzovinian officials, a twinkle of merriment in his eyes. “All their paint and powder is on thick,” he said, smiling good-humoredly, to his two companions, Midshipmen Philip Perry and Sydney Monroe, who had accompanied him ashore to be present at this novel ceremony. Phil was gazing with open-eyed admiration at the handsome islanders. “I mean the Herzovinian officers,” Commander Tazewell added. “It’s a hot day for special full dress uniform, but ‘noblesse oblige,’ I suppose.”