"You were diving just now in the lagoon. Do you think the gold may have been buried there or that the land has fallen away?"
"My dear fellow, I'll not weary you with an account of what I think. It's rather warm here. Shall we go back to the house?"
I was hoping for a week of calm, and when we went to bed that evening there was reason to believe we might have it. A few hours later, however, I was awakened by the Englishman. "There's going to be a bit of a blow presently," he said. "Your skipper has just sent for you. He wants to get away at once."
The stars had been blotted out. The wind was soughing in the palms, and the waves slapping briskly on the lagoon beach. Our farewell was a brief one.
"When shall you come to Tahiti?" I asked.
"Not until I have found what I'm looking for."
"Well," I said, "I hope that will be soon."
But if he holds fast to his resolve my belief is that it will be never.
Conclusion
