“I do,” came the response.
“Then, we shall go together to the bottom of this cave where dwells the sea god,” saying which he threw one strong, sinewy arm about her yielding form, and, with one wild plunge both were lost to view beneath the surging, seething mass of water. They had hardly disappeared beneath the engulfing waves before Captain Gray was at the mouth of the cave, calling upon the name of his daughter.
About an hour afterwards Captain Harris approached Captain Gray and said: “Captain Gray, if you are going with us, we will have to set out for the vessel right away. I hate to intrude on your sorrow for the loss of your daughter, but, if we are going to get away from the island to-night, we have got to weigh anchor right off, for I daren’t stay long in this neighborhood, for, as you know it’s a devilish place for storms and I’ll be mighty glad to get clear of these coral reefs, which are very pretty things to look at from the shore, with the breakers dashing over them; but they are deucedly ugly things for a vessel to be too close to, and you know how very treacherous the winds are in these parts. If we stay much longer we may be dashed, like a bit of drift wood, clean upon that ragged reef. Will you come with us, or will you stay that you may, perhaps, regain the body of your daughter?”
Captain Gray turned toward him with a face horribly changed in the last brief hour, and answered in a dazed manner, “Yes, I will go. I want to leave this place that has robbed me of my child. Why, oh why have I been made to witness the awful death of each member of my family? Yes, I want to leave this accursed island,” saying which he walked slowly away from the cave, where Etta and Uala had sunk from sight, and accompanied Captain Harris to the boat, in which Mabel was already seated.
The farewells were loving and sorrowful between the departing loved ones and those they were leaving behind. About the necks, upon the heads and around the waists of Ahleka and Mabel had been placed many a fragrant leis, or wreath, wrought by loving hands.
“Good-bye, Allen, my brother. May the sun of happiness never be dimmed for you and Maula, my sister. May your lives be as a day in the time of the blossoming of the fiku-trees, which are so perfect as to leave nothing to be longed for. May your children be as straight as young palm-trees, and as unchangeable in their devotion to their parents, as is the pearl, which, through life or death clings to the oyster which produces it. Now that I am leaving my people, you two will rule over them. Govern them with love, and that love will be returned to you a thousand fold. Our sister, Kaelea, I give into your keeping until the next festival, when she, under your guidance, shall rule her people,” saying which, Ahleka embraced Allen and Kaelea for the last time, then stepped into the boat which was to bear him to new sensations and strange experiences amidst civilization. As the boat pulled off to the Eliza Judd, a sweet song of sad regret was borne over the water to the travellers. Of the seven who had landed on this happy shore three years before, only three were now leaving, Captain Gray, Mabel Miller and Hans who was going back to his dear loving wife whom he loved so devotedly, and to his fat, little cherub, Katrina.
“Ah, Katrina, won’t she be glad to see her papa again, though;” how often, during that happy day, did this thought occur to Hans. The other two sailors had found the ideal life of Kaahlanai too pleasant to leave. Allen was true to his word to his father and his love for his beautiful wife Maula; in fact, he had not the slightest longing to again visit the realms of civilization. Then Etta, bright, happy Etta, was beneath the waves of the ever changing sea.
When the Eliza Judd had received her new-found passengers, she seemed to arouse herself from a summer day’s sleep, and give herself a shake to see if she were really awake, for no sooner was the boat hoisted to the davits then the sails were swiftly unfurled, and, as they quickly filled with the fresh breeze, the Eliza Judd stood out to sea, like a bird that has been imprisoned, spreads its wings and starts on its glad flight to freedom. This majestic vessel, going noiselessly on her way, was a sight that aroused the wonder and admiration of the watchers on the beach.
CHAPTER XX.
After losing sight of Kaahlanai, the party of travellers on the Eliza Judd turned their attention to providing themselves with clothing, which would at least be presentable for them to appear in when they should reach America. It was easy enough to fit out Captain Gray, Ahleka and Hans from Captain Harris’ store of clothing, but Mabel, what was she to do for wearing apparel? That was the question. Sheets were made by her deft fingers to serve as under garments, and some brown linen, which had been used to cover chairs and a couple of couches, was turned into a dress that was surprisingly becoming, considering the material used in its construction. Mabel’s preparations to step ashore in San Francisco were completed the day before arriving there.