118 MYSTIC ISLES 



missing, and as at the best the vessel was short-handed, 

 it had to tarry. 



At last came three of the missing men. They, too, 

 had welcomed the New Year, and their gait was as at 

 sea when the ship rises and falls on the huge waves. 

 They wheeled in a barrow a mate whose mispoise made 

 self-locomotion impossible. The trio danced on the 

 wharf, sang a chantey about "whisky being the life of 

 man," and declared they would stay all their lives in 

 Tahiti; that the "bloody hooker could bleedin' well" go 

 without them. They were ordered on board by M. 

 Lontane, with two strapping Tahitian gendarmes at his 

 back. 



If there are any foreigners the average British rousta- 

 bout hates it is French gendarmes, and the ruffians were 

 of a mind to "beat them up." They raised their fists in 

 attitudes of combat, and suddenly what had been a joy- 

 ous row became a troublesome incident. 



Sacre bleu! those scoundrels of English to menace the 

 uniformed patriots of the French republic ! The second 

 in command drew a revolver, and pointing at the hairy 

 breast of the leader of the Noa-Noans, shouted: "Au le 

 vapeur! Diable! What, you whisky-filled pigs, you 

 will resist the law?" 



He took off his hehiiet and handed it to one of the 

 native policemen while he unlimbered the revolver more 

 firmly in the direction of the seamen. The sailor shrank 

 back in bewilderment. Guns were unknown in shore 

 squabbles. 



"I '11 'ave the British Gov'ment after ye," roared 

 the leader. "I '11 write to the Sydney papers. Ye 've 

 pulled a gun in me face." 



