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she could see the leather money belt about his waist。 She held her breath
and tugged at the buckles。 They gave easier than she had expected； and she
crawled hurriedly away across the sand； dragging the belt after her。 Pocket
after pocket she unbuckled in the belt and found empty。 Where could he
have put it？ In the last pocket of all she found it； the first and only pearl he
had bought on the voyage。 She crawled a few feet farther； to escape the
pestilence of the belt； and examined the pearl。 It was the one Mapuhi had
found and been robbed of by Toriki。 She weighed it in her hand and rolled
it back and forth caressingly。 But in it she saw no intrinsic beauty。 What
she did see was the house Mapuhi and Tefara and she had builded so
carefully in their minds。 Each time she looked at the pearl she saw the
house in all its details； including the octagon…drop…clock on the wall。
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That was something to live for。
She tore a strip from her ahu and tied the pearl securely about her neck。
Then she went on along the beach； panting and groaning； but resolutely
seeking for cocoanuts。 Quickly she found one； and； as she glanced around；
a second。 She broke one； drinking its water； which was mildewy； and
eating the last particle of the meat。 A little later she found a shattered
dugout。 Its outrigger was gone； but she was hopeful； and； before the day
was out； she found the outrigger。 Every find was an augury。 The pearl was
a talisman。 Late in the afternoon she saw a wooden box floating low in the
water。 When she dragged it out on the beach its contents rattled； and inside
she found ten tins of salmon。 She opened one by hammering it on the
canoe。 When a leak was started； she drained the tin。 After that she spent
several hours in extracting the salmon； hammering and squeezing it out a
morsel at a time。
Eight days longer she waited for rescue。 In the meantime she fastened
the outrigger back on the canoe； using for lashings all the cocoanut fibre
she could find； and also what remained of her ahu。 The canoe was badly
cracked； and she could not make it water…tight； but a calabash made from a
cocoanut she stored on board for a bailer。 She was hard put for a paddle。
With a piece of tin she sawed off all her hair close to the scalp。 Out of the
hair she braided a cord； and by means of the cord she lashed a three…foot
piece of broom handle to a board from the salmon case。
She gnawed wedges with her teeth and with them wedged the lashing。
On the eighteenth day； at midnight； she launched the canoe through the
surf and started back for Hikueru。 She was an old woman。 Hardship had
stripped her fat from her till scarcely more than bones and skin and a few
stringy muscles remained。 The canoe was large and should have been
paddled by three strong men。
But she did it alone； with a make…shift paddle。 Also； the canoe leaked
badly； and one…third of her time was devoted to bailing。 By clear
daylight she looked vainly for Hikueru。 Astern； Takokota had sunk
beneath the sea rim。 The sun blazed down on her nakedness； compelling
her body to surrender its moisture。 Two tins of salmon were left； and in
the course of the day she battered holes in them and drained the liquid。
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She had no time to waste in extracting the meat。 A current was setting to
the westward； she made westing whether she made southing or not。
In the eary afternoon； standing upright in the canoe； she sighted
Hikueru Its wealth of cocoanut palms was gone。 Only here and there； at
wide intervals； could she see the ragged remnants of trees。 The sight
cheered her。 She was nearer than she had thought。 The current was setting
her to the westward。 She bore up against it and paddled on。 The wedges in
the paddle lashing worked loose； and she lost much time； at frequent
intervals； in driving them tight。 Then there was the bailing。 One hour in
three she had to cease paddling in order to bail。 And all the time she driftd
to the westward。
By sunset Hikueru bore southeast from her； three miles away。 There
was a full moon； and by eight o'clock the land was due east and two miles
away。 She struggled on for another hour； but the land was as far away as
ever。 She was in the main grip of the current； the canoe was too large； the
paddle was too inadequate； and too much of her time and strength was
wasted in bailing。 Besides； she was very weak and growing weaker。
Despite her efforts； the canoe was drifting off to the westward。
She breathed a prayer to her shark god； slipped over the side； and
began to swim。 She was actually refreshed by the water； and quickly left
the canoe astern。 At the end of an hour the land was perceptibly nearer。
Then came her fright。 Right before her eyes； not twenty feet away； a large
fin cut the water。 She swam steadily toward it； and slowly it glided away；
curving off toward the right and circling around her。 She kept her eyes on
the fin and swam on。 When the fin disappeared； she lay face downward in
the water and watched。 When the fin reappeared she resumed her
swimming。 The monster was lazyshe could see that。 Without doubt he
had been well fed since the hurricane。 Had he been very hungry； she knew
he would not have hesitated from making a dash for her。 He was fifteen
feet long； and one bite； she knew； could cut her in half。
But she did not have any time to waste on him。 Whether she swam or
not； the current drew away from the land just the same。 A half hour went
by； and the shark began to grow bolder。 Seeing no harm in her he drew
closer； in narrowing circles； cocking his eyes at her impudently as he slid
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past。 Sooner or later； she knew well enough； he would get up sufficient
courage to dash at her。 She resolved to play first。 It was a desperate act
she meditated。 She was an old woman； alone in the sea and weak from
starvation and hardship； and yet she； in the face of this sea tiger； must
anticipate his dash by herself dashing at him。 She swam on； waiting her
chance。 At last he passed languidly by； barely eight feet away。 She rushed
at him suddenly； feigning that she was attacking him。 He gave a wild flirt
of his tail as he fled away； and his sandpaper hide； striking her； took off
her skin from elbow to shoulder。 He swam rapidly； in a widening circle；
and at last disappeared。
In the hole in the sand； covered over by fragments of metal roofing；
Mapuhi and Tefara lay disputing。
〃If you had done as I said；〃 charged Tefara； for the thousandth time；
〃and hidden the pearl and told no one； you would have it now。〃
〃But Huru…Huru was with me when I opened the shellhave I not told
you so times and times and times without end？〃
〃And now we shall have no house。 Raoul told me today that if you had
not sold the pearl to Toriki〃
〃I did not sell it。 Toriki robbed me。〃
〃that if you had not sold the pearl； he would give you five thousand
French dollars； which is ten thousand Chili。〃
〃He has been talking to his mother；〃 Mapuhi explained。 〃She has an
eye for a pearl。〃
〃And now the pearl is lost；〃 Tefara complained。
〃It paid my debt with Toriki。 That is twelve hundred I have made；
anyway。〃
〃Toriki is dead；〃 she cried。 〃They have heard no word of his schooner。
She was lost along with the Aorai and the Hira。 Will Toriki pay you the
three hundred credit he promised？ No； because Toriki is dead。 And had
you found no pearl； would you today owe Toriki the twelve hundred？ No；
because Toriki is dead； and you cannot pay dead men。〃
〃But Levy did not pay Toriki；〃 Mapuhi said。 〃He gave him a piece of
paper that was good for the money in Papeete； and now Levy is dead and
cannot pay； and Toriki is dead and the paper lost with him； and the pearl is
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lost with Levy。 You are rig