"No," replied Danks. "I call it marvellous."
Jack Redland was astonished. On the deck lay a pile of glittering shell, dazzling almost to blinding in the sunlight, it recalled to mind a glimpse of a fairy grotto he had once seen in a pantomime. Jacob threw a bucket of water over the heap and the shells reflected a myriad of sparkling lights which danced and flickered in a bewildering manner. From this sight, Jack turned to the small bowl of pearls, and commenced to speculate how many they would get before they cleared out of the bay.
The shells and the pearls were carefully stored, and work commenced again for the day. Harry Marton remained in charge of the schooners, which were anchored alongside, and had with him the cooks and the cabin boys, all the others being left in the dinghies.
They returned at night with a better take than before, and many of the shells were of a considerable age, as could be seen by the encrustations upon the outer surface.
Jacob Rank had so far no cause to complain of Kylis and Miah. They were the best divers out of the lot and always came back with shells. They worked hard, and yet there was something about them he could not quite understand. He noticed they were always together, and kept apart from the other divers, as though considering themselves superior. He kept his thoughts to himself, but he fancied he saw some trouble brewing, although he could not define in what direction.
The day had been very hot, and the white men who had sat in the boats under the blazing sun, were tired out.
Kylis and Miah, however, were wide awake, and seated in earnest conversation at the stern of the schooner.
"This is the richest pearl fishing I ever saw," said Kylis, speaking in his native tongue.
"The whole bay is covered with shell," replied Miah. "It does not seem fair these white men should have it all."
"They will not have it all," said Kylis, with an ugly gleam in his eyes. "You know where they keep the pearls."
Miah shook his head and said they would not be easy to get at.
"There is nothing of great value yet," replied Kylis. "Wait until there is a big pearl, then we must have it."
Miah looked at him, half afraid, he recollected something had been left to Kylis before, and when that something had been accomplished there was one white man less in the world. Miah was a thief, and no coward, but he hated the sight of blood; he was afraid of Kylis because he knew he would stick at nothing to gain his ends.