'Hiced punch? O my!' said the clerk. 'Give him something 'ot, captain. “Way down the Swannee River”; try that.' 'No, sir! Looks Scotch,' said the captain; and he struck, for his life, into 'Auld Lang Syne.' Captain Tom continued to approach with the same business-like alacrity; no change was to be perceived in his bearded face as he came swinging up the plank: he did not even turn his eyes on the performer. 'We twa hae paidled in the burn Frae morning tide till dine,' went the song. Captain Tom had a parcel under his arm, which he laid on the house roof, and then turning suddenly to the strangers: 'Here, you!' he bellowed, 'be off out of that!' The clerk and Herrick stood not on the order of their going, but fled incontinently by the plank. The performer, on the other hand, flung down the instrument and rose to his full height slowly. 'What's that you say?' he said. 'I've half a mind to give you a lesson in civility.' 'You set up any more of your gab to me,' returned the Scotsman, 'and I'll show ye the wrong side of a jyle. I've heard tell of the three of ye. Ye're not long for here, I can tell ye that. The Government has their eyes upon ye. They make short work of damned beachcombers, I'll say that for the French.' 'You wait till I catch you off your ship!' cried the captain: and then, turning to the crew, 'Good-bye, you fellows!' he said. 'You're gentlemen, anyway! The worst nigger among you would look better upon a quarter-deck than that filthy Scotchman.' Captain Tom scorned to reply; he watched with a hard smile the departure of his guests; and as soon as the last foot was off the plank; turned to the hands to work cargo. The beachcombers beat their inglorious retreat along the shore; Herrick first, his face dark with blood, his knees trembling under him with the hysteria of rage. Presently, under the same purao where they had shivered the night before, he cast himself down, and groaned aloud, and ground his face into the sand. 'Don't speak to me, don't speak to me. I can't stand it,' broke from him. The other two stood over him perplexed. 'Wot can't he stand now?' said the clerk. ''Asn't he 'ad a meal? I'M lickin' my lips.' Herrick reared up his wild eyes and burning face. 'I can't beg!' he screamed, and again threw himself prone. 'This thing's got to come to an end,' said the captain with an intake of the breath. 'Looks like signs of an end, don't it?' sneered the clerk. 'He's not so far from it, and don't you deceive yourself,' replied the captain. 'Well,' he added in a livelier voice, 'you fellows hang on here, and I'll go and interview my representative.' Whereupon he turned on his heel, and set off at a swinging sailor's walk towards Papeete. It was some half hour later when he returned. The clerk was dozing with his back against the tree: Herrick still lay where he had flung himself; nothing showed whether he slept or waked.