" Oh, Professor!"

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 71, 24 March 1928, Page 14 (Supplement)

" Oh, Professor!"

By Tom Harris

SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS

PROFESSOR JUDDERS, who occupies a chair at Auckland University College, accepts an invitation from a party of scientific Americans to join tbeiu on an expedition to the Pacific Islands, and embarks on the schooner at Auckland. He finds that the passengers on the ship are a hard-drinking lot, and he is disturbed bv what Noting, an Australian, who is one of the crew, tells him about the captain. Sickness breaks out on board, and Nollng and Newton, the doctor, have a fight with fists, which Nollng "wins. The Professor (alls 111, and is visited by Nollng in his cabin. Noling leaves him with a remark about navigating the ship. The following day Noling insists that, for his own safety, the Professor shall leave "the death ship." Noling forces him to take the motor dinghy and set off by himself for some islands to the north. The Professor reaches an island, and Is helped ashore by natives. He Is spoken to In Maori by a beautiful girl named Miromiro, who takes him under her protection, and he Is told that the Island is Rawhitl, which he remembers was charted by early navigators but not found again The island Is so surrounded by rocks that leaving and arriving are well • nigh impossible, and the people live cut off from the world. Tne Professor finds that Miromiro is the daughter of a castaway called O'Hara, who died on being thrown up on the island, and that he la expected to marry Ler. The day after the betrothal ceremony Miromiro rescues the , Professor from drowning. The Professor sets up his portable wireless set and, to the amazement of the natives, catches music from the outside world, which greatly enhances his prestige. He learns by this means thnt the schooner which he left is regarded as lost. CHAPTER IX. Almost live -ars had glided by; Miromiro was now a full-grown woman, happy and carefree, confident still that the sea would bring her pakeha to her from the wonderful world of which she had no memory, when one morning at dawn, the Professor was startled from sleep by her voice calling his name, as she ran toward his house. Clad only in a native mat he ran out to her. She had never seemed so beautiful. Around her radiant hair clung a spray of dewgemmed clematis fresh plucked from the! bush.•

" Pakira, O Pakira, a ship, a ship!" Seizing her hand he ran with her up the slope of the ridge. His heart lept. Away in the offing, gleamed the white sail of a small vessel. She lay, almost becalmed, close to the outer rim of the reef. He could get out to her; the gods were smiling; the sea was calm, only the swirl of the tide and the break of the ocean Bwell beyond disturbed the placid surface of the sea. He fled to his house and dressed in the carefully saved clothes for his going away. Miromiro brought him food. His preparations were quickly made. The leathern belt containing Miromiro's pearls he buckled round his waist, and accompanied by Ariki, and followed by the people of the hapu, he went down to the little bay. Willing hands launched the dinghy, and clasping Ariki's hand he bade him farewell.

" O Ariki, my brother, I will return." As he turned to the dinghy, Miromiro impulsively clasped him about the neck. "O Pakira, my pakeha." He felt her tears upon his cheek, and his voice was husky as he spoke. "Miromiro, messenger of love, daughter of my lonely heart, I will come again. I go to bring your pakeha from over the sea. Farewell."

He was in the boat heading out into the current, caught in its toils and borne rapidly away. The farewell cries of the people grew faint in his ears. He turned the dinghy, edging away from the rocks and shallows by pulling lustily across the current, which swept him swiftly seaward. The vessel was quite four miles >ff the land standing round the northern edge of the outer reef, looking for an opening. The Professor could not .see lier across the barrier of tumbling breakers on the reef. He knew there was no "hance of her entering the only narrow channel that lay on that side of the island, but he hoped to get out on the current and be picked up before she rounded the end of the island. For some time all went well, he had studied the lay of the reefs from thf highest point of the island, and as he neared the outer reef he felt the lift of the ocean swell. The light moruing air fanned his face, the break in the reef lay directly ahead.. Spinning the dinghy round he braced himself for the plunge into the welter of broken water. The boom of the breakers made him tremble, but he gripped the oars, stiffened his sinews, and drove the little craft forward on the current with all his strength.. The dinghy swept into the narrow channel with incredible speed, plunged into the smother of foam, dived her nose into the curling crest of an oncoming roller, filled, turned over, and left the professor afloat amid the 'surging foam gripping an oar with the clutch of desperation. The backwash 'and the current carried him over the next roller before it broke, and he was clear of the surf. Half a mile seaward he caught a glimpse of the vessel as he rose on the swell. He had a chance yet. Everything depended on the set of the current now. The oar supported him and each time he rose on the long oily swell he waved his arm and shouted. The boom of the breakers drowned his voice, he could scarcely hear it himself, yet he could not refrain from shouting each time he rose and saw the sail of the ship. Under the light breeze she was forging slowly past the island, and he feared she would pass the line of contact and be out of reach before he could get out to her. He looked back, he could see nothing of the island, but close behind him the dinghy rose keel upwards on the sea. He had a better chance now. They would sight the dinghy. Pushing the oar before him he swam against 4 the current towards it. Scarce fifteen yards separated him from her; as she rose on the long swell, he fell almost under her in the hollow of the sea. He swam desperately, discarding the oar and hazarding all to reach her. Now she lay below hinj, and he hurled himself towards her. Again she rose, and he fought grimly to climb the rolling sea hill. He was hampered by his clothes and the stout leathern belt about his waist, but he dared not pause to discard them. Gradually he tras. gaining his way to her; they were on the same sloping wave. As she sank in the hollow of the sea he flung himself forward—she was just out of reach. They rose again, and he touched her side as she fell away. With his last ounce of strength he struggled on; as she glided over the next wave he gripped her gunwale, edged along to the stern, and'rested with his hinds on the upturned keel. On the. third attempt he clambered on top of her as she fell away on the roll. She was beamy little boat, and as she rode over the rmocth swell he sat astride her and kept his balance fairly easily. The vessel, a small fore and aft rigged yacht, was now much nearer, barely' three hundred yards away, and seemed to be directly ahead. He could see the man at the wheel. He waved and shouted till hie throat ached and he grew hoarse. For

several minutes, which seemed to him an age, the yacht kept on her course; then suddenly she payed off and bore down on him, and he knew he was safe. When quite close the yacht shot into the wind and lay alongside. As the overturned dinghy rose on the swell the Professor leapt for the low rail of the yacht, grasped it, and swung over on the deck. He rose to his feet and stood face to face with Noling. He sprang back with a gasp of surprise, staring at the Aussie in blank astonishment. Noling seemed unmoved; only the white scar across his temple sprang into relief as he recognised the man he had abandoned in mid-ocean. "Why, Professor," he said, "you are a surprising fellow, but I'm real glad to see you again. It's quite live years since we parted down there in the south. You pulled through after all, er? I knew you would. I Bee you still bear me hard, Professor. I'd offer to shake hands, but I think you are a little unprepared for that formality. Still, I'm delighted to meet you again. Let me offer you some dry clothes and refreshment. Hori, show the Professor to my cabin. You have the liberty of the ship, Professor." With this little speech of greeting Noling calmly walked aft, leaving the Professor staring after him. He felt he was trapped. Launched again on the high seas with this mystery man, without retreat or chance of escape. He followed the island boy to Noling's cabin, scarcely aware of what he was doing. While he stripped off his dripping clothes, Hori got dry things from Noling's locker, obligingly rubbed the Professor down with a rough towel, and left him to make his toilet. As the Professor pulled on a pair of Noling's spotless duck trousers he wondered dimly why fate had again cast him in his way, and what would be the outcome. The Australian had a peculiar influence on him, not of f«ar, nor did he inspire him with actual dislike, but a power that sapped b : s resistance, and made him feel like clay in the hands of the potter. As he stepped barefooted from the cabin, and passed through the little saloon, he caught a whiff of cooking food, and discovered he was hungry. The yacht was on her course again, and he saw with a throb of pleasure that his old friend, the Bronzewing's dinghy, was trailing astern. The Professor Mas in the act of rolling up the cuffs of Noling's trousers, which were several inches too long for him, when the Aussie came towards him. "Breakfast, Professor. Daresay you're hungry after your swim. Come along." The Professor followed willingly enough, and in spite of the uncertainty of his prospects made a hearty meal. Noling was in good spirits, and chatted pleasantly, while the Professor gave his undivided attention to his breakfast At last he sat back, allowed his eyes to wander round the spacious cabin, and said: "You carry a good cook, Noling." "Our friend Heke of the Bronzewing, Proiessor. Now tell me where you have been these five years? I've spent two years trying to find a trace of you." "Whyt" asked the Professor. "Because I knew I would be successful." "Where is the Bronzewing?" "Gone to the bottom. I disguised her pretty well and got a good figure for her in a South American port. She saw service on Kura Row, till she foundered in a cyclone. That dinghy towing astern, is all that survives that Yankee expedition, Professor, except you and I. VVe must destroy the dinghy, Professor, then we will divide the proceeds from the sale of the Bronzewing." "You can't make a criminal of me, Noling." "No, no, Professor; but from now on you are my partner. There are few men that attract me, Professor, ymi do. That is why I saved your life on the Bronzewing." The Professor looked incredulous. "You don't know it, Professor, but I did. Was it foolish?" "If you saved me from the sickness, Noling, you afterwards cast me adrift." "Yes, Professor. I'm a wilful fellow. Still you came through as I said you would. But we'll forget that. The Bronzewing was reported lost with all hands. You are 6aid to be dead, Professor. You must remain dead." "No!" shouted the Professor. "There is plenty of time to think It out, Professor, don't be hasty. 1 maKe you a good offer. This is a tidy little cfaft, fitted like a yacht, isn't she ? 1 had her built in Sydney; doesn't carry much sail, but she's pretty slick when I open out the engine. I saw you admire her; well, you are half owner. There is a fine plantation on Karotonga, half yours, Professor. A good banking account in a Sydney bank, you can draw on it when you like." "A bribe?" "Not really, Professor. A friendly offer, nothing more. What is the objection? Do you really want to go back to your old life? Is the life ot a professor so fascinating? Think! You may be a back number. 1 have been at some trouble to find you; these are dangerous seas, Professor. Uncharted reefs; cross currents, avoided by shipping. I was looking for an opening lu that reef to get up to the island, when 1 sighted you astride the keel of that old dinghy. Providential, wasn't it T Now, Professor, think about it. You have done your share; years of studious routine have earned your freedom. Here it is: cruising, a little trading, pearl buying—." Unconsciously the Professor felt for his leathern belt; he had left it in Noling's cabin. He rose quickly and without a word passed into the inner cabin. He found it where he had left it on the cabin floor. Fastening it round his waist, he went slowly back to Noling, intent on disabusing the Aussie's mind of any possibility of his agreeing to his proposition. He could not give up his career, the fame that would be his as, the discoverer of the lost island of Ka-. whiti. Then there were the pearls, and his promise to> Ariki and Miromiro. H's duty was plain. As he re-entered tlie saloon Noling noticed the leathern belt round his waist and smiled.

"So you have been doing a little peart trading too, Professor?"

The Professor was rather taken aback, but as Noling had guessed what the belt contained, he replied:

"No, I hold a few pearls here in trust for the people of Rawhiti." "Let me see them, I didn't know there were pearls in these waters." "I hold them in trust, Noling. I cannot let them go out of my possession."

"You mean you don't trust me, eh, Professor ?"

"What do you expcct after the 'Bronzewin#' business?"

"l'our suspicion is natural; but frankly Professor, I am as honest according to my standard, a* you are to yours. There's a difference in the standards 111 admit. Yours is the high-minded honesty of the cultured mftn, the finest in the world; mine is the honesty of the gambler. I take the winnings-of chance, without scruple, because I take the chances. According to your standard, my action in selling the 'Bronzewing' was criminal. Well " "What did you do with the Americans aboard her?" "Ah, you suspect me there, eh? I did not like those Yankees, Professor. I was a fool to ship with them. I'll tell you how it was. I was in the rum fleet, another gamble Professor, and a bad one. I was with a rough crowd, with bad liquor, and playing a losing game. The 'Bronzewing' came up, bargained for a few cases, and I took it aboard her. They were short handed, several of their men had deserted, and I was mighty glad at the time to get a berth, and be rid of the drunken lot I was with. I was a loser, and perhaps I didn't lose too well, at any rata I soon got in bad with the' Y'ankees. It was the liquor that did it; it was poisonous, and put an edge on everybody's) temper. I intended to slip away at Auckland, but somehow when you came aboard Professor, I got interested and stayed on. I could Bee you were in for a rough spin, and I'm glad now I didn't clear. Well you know the rest, the ship was stricken with sickness, it may have been the poisonous whisky, it may have been a sleeping sickness, or partly both, anyhow it cleaned the drinkers up. They died naturally Professor. I couldn't have saved them if I'd tried. You recovered because the poison wasn't in your system. I got rid of everything belonging to them and sold the schooner as I told you. But that's between ourselves Professor; mind you, I could clear myself in any Court; I'm not the least worried. The three boys from the 'Bronzewing' are on the yacht with me now; you may question them to prove the truth of my story." No doubt the Professor was credulous, but he listened to Noling's story with a I sense of relief. Now he was silent and uncertain. It was a helpless situation. His career, his fame, his very name, Miromiro's pearls, were at stake, and he was powerless and at this man's mercy. A sudden impulse to trust the Australian impelled him to play a bold part. "Noling, I will assume your story to be true, I have no reason to doubt it. and I will never contradict it. By casting me adrift as you did you actually did mfc a service, for by a strange Btroke of fortune, I discovered the lost island of Rawhiti. You may not realise what this means to me. I shall be famous, established in the world as a scientist and discoverer. I shall lecture, write books, and again visit Rawhiti. You ask me to join you in your enterprises. Your offer is generous, but 1 cannot accept it. I have been too long cut off from civilisation, I must eet back." 6 The Professor recounted all his experiences,- described Rawhiti and its people, and in a burst of confidence, explained all his plans for Miromiro's future, and told him of her fortune in pearls. Noling listened attentively, lounging easily on the upholstered cabin seat, and occasionally glancing out of the port, or throwing a word up the companion now and tlien to the boy nearby at the wheel. "Why not show me the pearls, Professor?" he asked, when the Professor paused in his story. "Why not?" thought the Professor. In a moment a dozen naked pearls lay on the table. Noling's eyes gleamed. "They are wonderful, Professor, but they wore not fished out of these waters. Do you know their history?" The Professor related the story as he had it from Mironiiro. "The p*Hara, her father, was evidently a pearl buyer," he concluded. "O'Hara!" said Noling. "Red O'Hara was a well-known character in the China seas years ago. He was something of a pirate, Professor. When he disappeared it was thought his confederates had killed him. Well, he got away, and with the plunder, that was something. It's easy to fall in with these fellows, Professor, but it's hard to get away— alive. Red O'Hara's pearls. I wonder how many throats were cut in the getting of them." The Professor was rathered staggered by.this revelation, but could not believe that anything criminal could touch Miremiro or the simple-hearted people of Rawhiti. "Probably not the same ' O'Hara, Noling. It's not an uncommon name, and why should a Chinese pirate come down here?" Noling emptied the pearls from the pockets of the belt on the cabin table. "Good Lord, Professor, there is untold wealth here. No pearl trader in these seas ever held such gems. O'Hara was a robber—a robber of robbers flying with the booty. Ho was lost in these dangerous seas, wrecked on an unknown or, as you say, a lost island, the only place in the world where he would be safe while he held these jewels. These pearls must have a history; they are wonderful. Russian Crown jewels perhaps, who knows? It will he delicate work disposing of thcin, Professor." "I shall sell them In Sydney, purchase supplies for Rawhiti, charter a vessel, and return for Mironiiro," said the Professor. "That is my definite intention." "You must proceed carefully with the pearls, Professor; they will be known, no doubt listed as stolen property. You may lose them all at the first move. But I can help you, Professor. There is a fortune at stake, and we must move carefully. I recommend 'Frisco. There is a wider market and much money. I will pose as a pearl trader from the South Seas, exactly what I am, Professor, and we will sell them privately. The cinema stars ot Hollywood should be ready buyers.?

"I prefer to transact the business openly, Noling; there, can be no real need for secrecy," said the Professor.

"So far am you are personally concerned, none whatever, Professor, buft you will lose the pearls. The least .publicity would attract the police, the pearls would be recognised, confiscated; you would be involved in a sensational] scandal, and O'Hara's gi*€ would lose her inheritance."

They went on deck and paced to and fro, both a little excited. The sky had become overcast; it was a still, prey day, and the light breeze no more than filled the sails as the yacht -oso and fell on the swell. The air was warm, and the surroundings gave the Professor a queer sensation of expectancy. After five years of inactivity his world was albout to move again. He was called on for a decision, md was unable to formulate anything. Only 'oue thing filled his mind. Miron:-iro must not lose her inheritance. He would risk much for her, even stoop to Jceeit; but no, not dishonesty. It the were claimcd they would have to go; lie would surrender them willingly. On the other hand there was a good chance, a reasonable possibility, that after the lapse of ten or twelve years, the identification of the pearls would be but a slight risk. He disliked deceit of any kind, it made him unhappy, but Noling's knowledge of the world, of pearl values and of trading would be of great help to him, even if the Australian's methods were secret and peculiar. He pondered over the problem for over an hour, but five years' isolation had made him slow of thought. He could arrive at no definite decision. He remembered with/ a start that the pearls were still spread on the cabin table, and went below to gather them up. Their brilliance now gave him no joy, the mere possibility of bloodshed in connection with them dulled their radiance in his eyes. He buckled the refilled belt round his waist with a sigh, and gave way to the philosophical reflection of Socrates, that had so often sustained him.

"No evil can arrive at a good man." Noling called out, inviting- him to look over the ship. Nothing loath the Professor followed him al>out the yacht with expressions of admiration.

"I had her built two years ago, Professor, a good sea boat, safe and cosy." If it ia possible for a ship to reflect the personality of her skipper, it 6eemed to the Professor that the yacht represented in herself the counterpart of Noling; clean cut lines, spick and span from stem to stern, she rode the lazy sea. with a lassitude that was, he thought, characteristic of the Aussie. A powerful oil engine, under a clean canvas cover, was installed below, and as the Professor glanced at it it seemed to suggest the reserve force that lay under Noling's suave manner. In spite of this fancied resemblance the Professor liked the little ship; maybe somewhere back in his ancestry was a sea rover, from whom he inherited a strain of salt blood; be it as it may he instinctively imbued the yacht with a personality; to him she wan not merely hull and spars, but a friendly living thing. Under the light air she lazily pearled over the sleepy swell through all the grey day, content it seemed to glide dreamily into the future, until her skipper should rouse himself and call for speed and action. (To be continued Saturday next.)