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directions。
This was too much for the woolly…heads。 While they scrambled for the
treasures； the boat was shoved clear； and we were aboard and forty feet away。
And I got thirty recruits off that very beach in the next four hours。
The particular instance I have in mind was on Malaita； the most savage 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 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。〃
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…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
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 twent