Three days afterwards the schooner was within fifty miles of his island home, when Brantley was aroused at daylight from his watch below by the cry of "TE PAHI!" (a ship!) and hastening on deck he saw a large vessel bearing down upon them. In half an hour she was close to, and Brantley recognised her as a brig from Tahiti, that occasionally made a trading voyage to the Paumotus, and whose skipper was a personal friend. Suddenly she hove-to and lowered a boat, which came alongside the schooner, and the white man that steered jumped on deck and held out his hand.
"How are you, Brantley?" and then his eye went quickly over the crew of the schooner, then glanced through the open skylight into the little cabin, and a hopeful, expectant look in his face died away.
"Very well, thank you, Latham. But what is wrong?—you look worried."
"Come on board," said the captain of the brig, quietly, "and I'll tell you."
As Brantley took his seat beside him, Latham said: "I have bad news for you, Brantley. Your sister is on board the brig, and I fear she will not live long. She came down to Tahiti in the MARAMA from Auckland, and offered me a good round sum to bring her to you."
"Has she been ill long, Latham?"
Latham looked at him curiously. "Didn't you know, Brantley? She's in a rapid consumption."
For a moment neither men spoke; then Latham gave a short cough.
"I feel it almost as badly as you, Brantley—but I've got a bit more bad news—"