Blown to Bits | Page 7

on deck, heartily shaking hands with and
welcoming Captain Roy as an old friend. He carried him and his son
off at once to breakfast in his island-home; introduced Nigel to his
family, and then showed them round the settlement, assuring them at
the same time that all its resources were at their disposal for the repair
of the Sunshine.
"Thank 'ee kindly," said the captain in reply, "but I'll only ask for a
stick to rig up a foretop-mast to carry us to Batavia, where we'll give
the old craft a regular overhaul--for it's just possible she may have
received some damage below the water-line, wi' bumpin' on the mast
and yards."
The house of the "King" was a commodious, comfortable building in
the midst of a garden, in which there were roses in great profusion, as
well as fruit-trees and flowering shrubs. Each Keeling family possessed
a neat well-furnished plank cottage enclosed in a little garden, besides a
boat-house at the water-edge on the inner or lagoon side of the reef, and
numerous boats were lying about on the white sand. The islanders,
being almost born sailors, were naturally very skilful in everything
connected with the sea. There was about them a good deal of that
kindly innocence which one somehow expects to find associated with a
mild paternal government and a limited intercourse with the
surrounding world, and Nigel was powerfully attracted by them from
the first.
After an extensive ramble, during which Mr. Ross plied the captain
with eager questions as to the latest news from the busy centres of
civilisation--especially with reference to new inventions connected with

engineering--the island king left them to their own resources till
dinner-time, saying that he had duties to attend to connected with the
kingdom!
"Now, boy," said the captain when their host had gone, "what'll 'ee do?
Take a boat and have a pull over the lagoon, or go with me to visit a
family I'm particularly fond of, an' who are uncommon fond o' me!"
"Visit the family, of course," said Nigel. "I can have a pull any day."
"Come along then."
He led the way to one of the neatest of the plank cottages, which stood
on the highest ridge of the island, so that from the front windows it
commanded a view of the great blue ocean with its breakers that
fringed the reef as with a ring of snow, while, on the opposite side, lay
the peaceful waters and islets of the lagoon.
A shout of joyful surprise was uttered by several boys and girls at sight
of the captain, for during his former visit he had won their hearts by
telling them wild stories of the sea, one half of each story being
founded on fact and personal experience, the other half on a vivid
imagination!
"We are rejoiced to see you," said the mother of the juveniles, a stout
woman of mixed nationality--that of Dutch apparently predominating.
She spoke English, however, remarkably well, as did many of the
Cocos people, though Malay is the language of most of them.
The boys and girls soon hauled the captain down on a seat and began to
urge him to tell them stories, using a style of English that was by no
means equal to that of the mother.
"Stop, stop, let me see sister Kathy first. I can't begin without her.
Where is she?"
"Somewhere, I s'pose," said the eldest boy.

"No doubt of that. Go--fetch her," returned the captain.
At that moment a back-door opened, and a girl of about seventeen years
of age entered. She was pleasant-looking rather than pretty--tall,
graceful, and with magnificent black eyes.
"Here she comes," cried the captain, rising and kissing her. "Why,
Kathy, how you've grown since I saw you last! Quite a woman, I
declare!"
Kathy was not too much of a woman, however, to join her brothers and
sisters in forcing the captain into a seat and demanding a story on the
spot.
"Stop, stop!" cried the captain, grasping round their waists a small boy
and girl who had already clambered on his knees. "Let me inquire
about my old friends first--and let me introduce my son to you--you've
taken no notice of him yet! That's not hospitable."
All eyes were turned at once on Nigel, some boldly, others with a shy
inquiring look, as though to say, Can you tell stories?
"Come, now," said Nigel, advancing, "since you are all so fond of my
father, I must shake hands with you all round."
The hearty way in which this was done at once put the children at their
ease. They admitted him, as it were, into their circle, and then turning
again to the captain continued their clamour for a story.
"No, no--about old friends first. How--how's