“Ay, ay!” said Wicks.  “Well I remember a boat’s crew that made this very island of Kauai, and from just about where we lie, or a bit further.  When they got up with the land, they were clean crazy.  There was an iron-bound coast and an Old Bob Ridley of a surf on.  The natives hailed ’em from fishing-boats, and sung out it couldn’t be done at the money.  Much they cared! there was the land, that was all they knew; and they turned to and drove the boat slap ashore in the thick of it, and was all drowned but one.  No; boat trips are my eye,” concluded the captain, gloomily.

The tone was surprising in a man of his indomitable temper.  “Come, Captain,” said Carthew, “you have something else up your sleeve; out with it!”

“It’s a fact,” admitted Wicks.  “You see there’s a raft of little bally reefs about here, kind of chicken-pox on the chart.  Well, I looked ’em all up, and there’s one—­Midway or Brooks they call it, not forty mile from our assigned position—­that I got news of.  It turns out it’s a coaling station of the Pacific Mail,” he said, simply.

“Well, and I know it ain’t no such a thing,” said Mac.  “I been quartermaster in that line myself.”

“All right,” returned Wicks.  “There’s the book.  Read what Hoyt says—­read it aloud and let the others hear.”

Hoyt’s falsehood (as readers know) was explicit; incredulity was impossible, and the news itself delightful beyond hope.  Each saw in his mind’s eye the boat draw in to a trim island with a wharf, coal-sheds, gardens, the Stars and Stripes and the white cottage of the keeper; saw themselves idle a few weeks in tolerable quarters, and then step on board the China mail, romantic waifs, and yet with pocketsful of money, calling for champagne, and waited on by troops of stewards.  Breakfast, that had begun so dully, ended amid sober jubilation, and all hands turned immediately to prepare the boat.

Now that all spars were gone, it was no easy job to get her launched.  Some of the necessary cargo was first stowed on board; the specie, in particular, being packed in a strong chest and secured with lashings to the afterthwart in case of a capsize.  Then a piece of the bulwark was razed to the level of the deck, and the boat swung thwart-ship, made fast with a slack line to either stump, and successfully run out.  For a voyage of forty miles to hospitable quarters, not much food or water was required; but they took both in superfluity.  Amalu and Mac, both ingrained sailor-men, had chests which were the headquarters of their lives; two more chests with handbags, oilskins, and blankets supplied the others; Hadden, amid general applause, added the last case of the brown sherry; the captain brought the log, instruments, and chronometer; nor did Hemstead forget the banjo or a pinned handkerchief of Butaritari shells.