“Well, I can’t say as I would like to live here the rest of my days myself; but of course it’s all right for them that like it,” answered Captain Harris.
“Oh, it is so lovely here. I cannot imagine a pleasanter place in the world.”
“Is that so, now? but all seem mighty glad to go away from it all the same. How do you account for that, young lady?”
“We are not all glad to leave. There are some of our party who will not go, but will always make their home on this island, and I should not leave it, were it not for my father; but I feel it my duty to go back to see him.”
“Come, girls,” said Captain Gray, “have you said good-bye to all your friends? It’s about time we left for the cove. Come, Ahleka, we may as well start, for, to tell the truth, I am in something of a hurry to get off.”
The party soon left for the other side of the island, where the boats were waiting for them. On the way over to the boats Etta managed to have a few private words with Uala. Arriving at the beach, Uala went to Captain Gray and said, “Captain Gray, your daughter and I have long loved one another, but we have forborne to speak until to-day, as we had hoped, in time, that you would reverse your decision that she should not marry on Kaahlanai. Now we beg your consent to our union. I will go to America and will study that I may be more her equal. Will you not consent?”
Captain Gray’s face was fairly purple with rage as he answered, “No, you black rascal, I would rather see her die before my eyes than have her marry you.”
Etta clung closely to Uala, saying, “And I would rather die than be parted from Uala.”
Uala’s manner quickly changed, and turning again to Captain Gray, he said, “I bow to your right, as a father, but if I must give up all thought of Etta, may I at least ask a few moments conversation with her, a few steps apart from the rest, that I may say good-bye to her forever.”
Captain Gray could but grant this request, which was so humbly made. The two walked a short distance down the rocky side of the cove to a place where there was a most curious cave, called by the islanders ama wai, or spouting waters, on account of its peculiar formation. The mouth lay deep beneath the bed of the sea and there was an outlet reaching up to where they stood. Through this outlet came the spray of the boiling, seething waters, which rushed madly through the cave below. As they stood on the brink of this cave, in full view of Captain Gray, and the group gathered on the beach, Uala, whose strong, wild nature was moved by the distant sobbing and roaring of the surf, bent over Etta, whispering in her ear: “You said, a short time ago, you would rather die than be separated from me; do you mean it?”