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island in the easterly Solomons。 The natives had been remarkably friendly；
and how were we to know that the whole village had been taking up a
collection for over two years with which to buy a white man's head？ The
beggars are all head…hunters； and they especially esteem a white man's
head。 The fellow who captured the head would receive the whole
collection。 As I say； they appeared very friendly； and on this day I was
fully a hundred yards down the beach from the boat。 Otoo had cautioned
me； and； as usual when I did not heed him； I came to grief。
The first I knew； a cloud of spears sailed out of the mangrove swamp
at me。 At least a dozen were sticking into me。 I started to run； but tripped
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over one that was fast in my calf； and went down。 The woolly…heads made
a run for me； each with a long…handled； fantail tomahawk with which to
hack off my head。 They were so eager for the prize that they got in one
another's way。 In the confusion； I avoided several hacks by throwing
myself right and left on the sand。
Then Otoo arrivedOtoo the manhandler。 In some way he had got
hold of a heavy war club； and at close quarters it was a far more efficient
weapon than a rifle。 He was right in the thick of them； so that they could
not spear him； while their tomahawks seemed worse than useless。 He was
fighting for me； and he was in a true Berserker rage。 The way he handled
that club was amazing。
Their skulls squashed like overripe oranges。 It was not until he had
driven them back； picked me up in his arms； and started to run； that he
received his first wounds。 He arrived in the boat with four spear thrusts；
got his Winchester； and with it got a man for every shot。 Then we pulled
aboard the schooner； and doctored up。
Seventeen years we were together。 He made me。 I should today be a
supercargo； a recruiter； or a memory； if it had not been for him。
〃You spend your money； and you go out and get more；〃 he said one
day。 〃It is easy to get money now。 But when you get old； your money will
be spent； and you will not be able to go out and get more。 I know； master。 I
have studied the way of white men。 On the beaches are many old men who
were young once； and who could get money just like you。 Now they are
old； and they have nothing； and they wait about for the young men like
you to come ashore and buy drinks for them。
〃The black boy is a slave on the plantations。 He gets twenty dollars a
year。 He works hard。 The overseer does not work hard。
He rides a horse and watches the black boy work。 He gets twelve
hundred dollars a year。 I am a sailor on the schooner。 I get fifteen dollars a
month。 That is because I am a good sailor。 I work hard。 The captain has a
double awning； and drinks beer out of long bottles。 I have never seen him
haul a rope or pull an oar。 He gets one hundred and fifty dollars a month。 I
am a sailor。 He is a navigator。 'master； I think it would be very good for
you to know navigation。〃
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Otoo spurred me on to it。 He sailed with me as second mate on my
first schooner； and he was far prouder of my command than I was myself。
Later on it was：
〃The captain is well paid； master； but the ship is in his keeping； and he
is never free from the burden。 It is the owner who is better paidthe owner
who sits ashore with many servants and turns his money over。〃
〃True； but a schooner costs five thousand dollarsan old schooner at
that；〃 I objected。 〃I should be an old man before I saved five thousand
dollars。〃
〃There be short ways for white men to make money；〃 he went on；
pointing ashore at the cocoanut…fringed beach。
We were in the Solomons at the time； picking up a cargo of ivory nuts
along the east coast of Guadalcanar。
〃Between this river mouth and the next it is two miles；〃 he said。
〃The flat land runs far back。 It is worth nothing now。 Next yearwho
knows？or the year after； men will pay much money for that land。 The
anchorage is good。 Big steamers can lie close up。 You can buy the land
four miles deep from the old chief for ten thousand sticks of tobacco； ten
bottles of square…face； and a Snider； which will cost you； maybe； one
hundred dollars。 Then you place the deed with the commissioner； and the
next year； or the year after； you sell and become the owner of a ship。〃
I followed his lead； and his words came true； though in three years；
instead of two。 Next came the grasslands deal on Guadalcanartwenty
thousand acres； on a governmental nine hundred and ninety…nine years'
lease at a nominal sum。 I owned the lease for precisely ninety days； when I
sold it to a company for half a fortune。 Always it was Otoo who looked
ahead and saw the opportunity。 He was responsible for the salving of the
Doncasterbought in at auction for a hundred pounds； and clearing three
thousand after every expense was paid。 He led me into the Savaii
plantation and the cocoa venture on Upolu。
We did not go seafaring so much as in the old days。 I was too well off。
I married； and my standard of living rose； but Otoo remained the same
old…time Otoo； moving about the house or trailing through the office； his
wooden pipe in his mouth； a shilling undershirt on his back； and a four…
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shilling lava…lava about his loins。 I could not get him to spend money。
There was no way of repaying him except with love； and God knows he
got that in full measure from all of us。 The children worshipped him； and
if he had been spoilable； my wife would surely have been his undoing。
The children！ He really was the one who showed them the way of their
feet in the world practical。 He began by teaching them to walk。 He sat up
with them when they were sick。 One by one； when they were scarcely
toddlers； he took them down to the lagoon； and made them into
amphibians。 He taught them more than I ever knew of the habits of fish
and the ways of catching them。 In the bush it was the same thing。 At seven；
Tom knew more woodcraft than I ever dreamed existed。 At six； Mary went
over the Sliding Rock without a quiver； and I have seen strong men balk at
that feat。 And when Frank had just turned six he could bring up shillings
from the bottom in three fathoms。
〃My people in Bora Bora do not like heathenthey are all Christians；
and I do not like Bora Bora Christians；〃 he said one day； when I； with the
idea of getting him to spend some of the money that was rightfully his；
had been trying to persuade him to make a visit to his own island in one of
our schoonersa special voyage which I had hoped to make a record
breaker in the matter of prodigal expense。
I say one of OUR schooners； though legally at the time they belonged
to me。 I struggled long with him to enter into partnership。
〃We have been partners from the day the Petite Jeanne went down；〃 he
said at last。 〃But if your heart so wishes； then shall we become partners by
the law。 I have no work to do； yet are my expenses large。 I drink and eat
and smoke in plentyit costs much； I know。 I do not pay for the playing of
billiards； for I play on your table； but still the money goes。 Fishing on the
reef is only a rich man's pleasure。 It is shocking； the cost of hooks and
cotton line。 Yes； it is necessary that we be partners by the law。 I need the
money。 I shall get it from the head clerk in the office。〃
So the papers were made out and recorded。 A year later I was
compelled to complain。
〃Charley；〃 said I； 〃you are a wicked old fraud； a miserly skinflint； a
miserable land crab。 Behold； your share for the year in all our partnership
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has been thousands of dollars。 The head clerk has given me this paper。 It
says that in the year you have drawn just eighty…seven dollars and twenty
cen