“When I get the time, and a sufficient margin of funds, I shall pay a visit to Chief Bashti—­oh, no British cruiser program.  I’ll charter a couple of trading ketches, take my own black police force and as many white men as I cannot prevent from volunteering.  There won’t be any shelling of grass houses.  I’ll land my shore party down the coast and cut in and come down upon Somo from the rear, timing my vessels to arrive on Somo’s sea-front at the same time.”

“You will answer slaughter with slaughter?” Villa Kennan objected.

“I will answer slaughter with law,” the Commissioner replied.  “I will teach Somo law.  I hope that no accidents will occur.  I hope that no life will be lost on either side.  I know, however, that I shall recover Captain Van Horn’s head, and his mate Borckman’s, and bring them back to Tulagi for Christian burial.  I know that I shall get old Bashti by the scruff of the neck and sit him down while I pump law and square-dealing into him.  Of course . . . "

The Commissioner, ascetic-looking, an Oxford graduate, narrow-shouldered and elderly, tired-eyed and bespectacled like the scholar he was, like the scientist he was, shrugged his shoulders.  “Of course, if they are not amenable to reason, there may be trouble, and some of them and some of us will get hurt.  But, one way or the other, the conclusion will be the same.  Old Bashti will learn that it is expedient to maintain white men’s heads on their shoulders.”

“But how will he learn?” Villa Kennan asked.  “If he is shrewd enough not to fight you, and merely sits and listens to your English law, it will be no more than a huge joke to him.  He will no more than pay the price of listening to a lecture for any atrocity he commits.”

“On the contrary, my dear Mrs. Kennan.  If he listens peaceably to the lecture, I shall fine him only a hundred thousand coconuts, five tons of ivory nut, one hundred fathoms of shell money, and twenty fat pigs.  If he refuses to listen to the lecture and goes on the war path, then, unpleasantly for me, I assure you, I shall be compelled to thrash him and his village, first:  and, next, I shall triple the fine he must pay and lecture the law into him a trifle more compendiously.”

“Suppose he doesn’t fight, stops his ears to the lecture, and declines to pay?” Villa Kennan persisted.

“Then he shall be my guest, here in Tulagi, until he changes his mind and heart, and does pay, and listens to an entire course of lectures.”

* * * * *

So it was that Jerry came to hear his old-time name on the lips of Villa and Harley, and saw once again his full-brother Michael.

“Say nothing,” Harley muttered to Villa, as they made out, peering over the bow of the shore-coming whaleboat, the rough coat, red-wheaten in colour, of Michael.  “We won’t know anything about anything, and we won’t even let on we’re watching what they do.”