“Why not, Mars Sam? I see de Pearl People when I fight ’em. All have their bodies covered wid strings of fine pearls. Big pearls. Some white, some blue, some pink. I see de pearls. Why do I not believe?” “Did you see the big city?” “I see part of it from de sea. We couldn’t get on shore. It mighty fine city, Mars Sam—over on de odder side dis island.” “Then how did you happen to recognize the back end of the island where we are now?” “Before we fight we come close, in de night, to see if we can land here an’ not be seen. We think if we can fight on land we beat de Faytans, who fight best on water. But when we row up an’ down dis coast we find we cannot land. We try de little cove; but dey on watch. Dey on watch all aroun’ de island; so we go bold to de front an’ fight in sight of de city.” “Seems to me, Nux,” I observed, turning this over in my mind, “we’re likely to have some lively times with these natives.” The black nodded very soberly. “Pearl People very big; very dang’rous,” he replied. “They thick as leaves on the trees. If we go ’way alive, Mars Sam, it’s cause we have a ship full o’ guns an’ ca’tridges, which shoot better than bow ’n’ arrow can.” “Yes, indeed,” I said, smiling; “it is certainly fortunate we have such a cargo. And the ship, cast ashore in this place, is a splendid fort. We won’t despair yet, Nux.” The ladies did not appear at dinner, all three having gone to bed to rest after their dreadful night. Nux carried coffee and toast to them, and the rest of us dined at the cabin table in rather solemn fashion. There was little in the situation to cheer any of us. Toward evening Ned and his men left the ship and began their tedious climb over the rocky point to the cove where we had left the boats. I saw that all of them were well armed and warned them of the warlike disposition of the natives. The sea was now smooth enough to render the journey around by boat practical, and as we had seen no sign of any inhabitants, so far, we hoped we were as yet unobserved. But that thick forest ahead of us might be harboring a hundred watching eyes. They failed to discover themselves, in that case, then or afterward. It grew dark quickly and I feared our boys would not reach the boats until long after nightfall. But the sky was clearing, in patches, and in places we could see thousands of stars glittering dimly. We had established a good watch on deck and drawn up all the ladders, so that a surprise was well-nigh impossible. Joe and I paced up and down in the dusk, for we were careful not to show any lights, and talked about the queer stories we had heard of the Pearl People. “If half these tales are true, Joe,” said I, “I mean to have a try at some of those pearls before we leave here.”