"What have you got there, Bill Ware?" shouted he.
The Skipper's tone of authority startled the men.
They arose to a standing posture. Bill Ware turned his face toward us.
"We've—we've found some guavas, sir, that's all. I'll bring you over some."
"No, no, I'll come over. I don't know as I remember ever having seen guavas growing on——"
But Bill Ware had started toward us with great alacrity.
"Don't come here, sir, for the Lord's sake! The place is alive with scorpions."
The Skipper thought better of it, and waited until Bill Ware's arrival. The man walked across, holding something in his hand. When he came near, we discovered two very small and very unripe guavas.
He came close to Cynthia and handed the fruits to her. His face was very red. His breath was almost upon her cheek. She started back.
"Are those guavas? What a curious odour guavas have, Uncle!"