"Well," said Aunt Jannet, as she hauled Kenni-Kenni back from destruction and the edge of the platform, which for the moment was the limit of his ambition, "I've been hot in my life before, but to-day beats everything. It was like an oven." "I had to start the engines to get home," said Cathie. "I came in by the lower entrance and there wasn't a breath of air. But we'll have a change soon, and a big one too if the barometer's anything to go by. I've been getting out double cables and kedges to the rocks for both the ships." "We wondered what you were busy at," said Blair. "You expect a heavy blow?" "You never can tell, and it's best to be on the safe side. We've been uncommonly lucky so far. But when the weather does get its back up here it sometimes gets it pretty high----Hel--lo!" The arm of the hill which ran down into the water hid the seaward view on that side. As Cathie spoke, a trim black vessel, with a thin trail of smoke at its cream-coloured funnel, came silently round the point. They all jumped up at so unusual a sight and stood watching eagerly. "Service ship," said Cathie. "What on earth is she doing here?" At sight of the two ships in the lagoon the stranger slowed down, and then her syren pealed shrilly across the water. "We'd better go and see," said Blair, and the two sprang down off the platform and ran to the whale-boat drawn up on the beach. The _Torch_ men and a crowd of curious natives were already there. "Now, lads, show the navy men how you can row," was the captain's order, and in two minutes the white boat was bounding towards the opening in the reef. It leaped the rollers and presently drew in to the rows of bronzed faces which lined the side of the ship and looked on approvingly. "This is Kapaa'a, I presume?" asked a tall man in a heavily-braided cap. "This is Kapaa'a," said Blair. "And is this Mr. Blair?" "I am Kenneth Blair. This is Captain Cathie." "Come on board, gentlemen." A ladder dropped over the side, and they swung up to the deck. "Can we get inside there, captain?" asked the tall man. "And is there anchorage? I don't much like the look of the weather and the barometer is unusually low." "Yes, sir, it's going to blow, or I'm much mistaken. You can get in all right. There's no bottom to that hole in the reef. But whether you'll be better inside or outside, if it blows hard, I wouldn't like to say. I've kedged both the schooners there, and I think they'll ride it out." "And there's plenty of water and good holding?" "Plenty water to within a couple of hundred yards of the shore. The shelf breaks there. Holding's fair. You'd better kedge same as we've done."