288 MYSTIC ISLES 



lovers of shellfish and the servants of the well-to-do 

 snatched madly at the small supply, and paid whatever 

 extravagant price was demanded. The scales were 

 never touched, and any insistence upon the new legal 

 plan and price was laughed at. With these delicacies 

 beyond their means, the natives stormed the two pork 

 butchers, the Tinitos. They grabbed the chops and 

 lumps of pig, poking and kneading them, shouting for 

 their weight, and in some instances making off without 

 paying. There was such a howdy-do that extra police- 

 men were summoned to form all into line. 



There were no scaly fish, and it came out that the 

 shellfish were caught by women, widows who had no 

 men to obey or please, who had children, or who wanted 

 francs to buy gewgaws or tobacco; and a few unsocial 

 men fishers who did not abide by the common interests 

 of their group. 



At Lovaina's we were on a tiresome round of canned 

 salmon, eggs, and beef, and eggs rose to six sous each. 

 In about a fortnight we began to have fish as usual, and 

 Lovaina signed to me that the Dummy procured them 

 in the country. I was very curious, and asked if I 

 might accompany him. She said that he would call for 

 me at the Annexe the next time he went. 



I was awakened after midnight in my room — ^the 

 doors were never locked — by the Dummy leaning over 

 and shaking me. I opened my eyes, and he put his 

 fingers to his lips. I dressed, and went with him in the 

 old surrey. We drove through the night along the 

 Broom Road. Once past the cemetery we were in the 

 country. The cocoanut-trees were gi'ay ghosts against 

 the dark foliage and trunks of the breadfruits and the 



