Page:Barbour--Joan of the ilsand.djvu/98

86 "Come, come," said Moniz, "need we quarrel? It can only lead to—to unpleasantness."

"It will, and there'll be a darned sight more unpleasantness if you don't keep away from that reef. We haven't started yet."

The trader raised his bushy eyebrows a trifle and turned to the girl.

"Your brother—he is not here? I came to speak to him."

"Anything you have to say to Mr. Trent you can say to me," Keith declared.

"But it is a matter of business."

"Well, I'm here to represent him for the present."

"When will he be back?"

"That's no affairs of yours. Listen, I'll give you five minutes to say what you have to say, and if you don't make yourself scarce then I'll throw you into the sea. Is that definite?"

Moniz pondered over the prospect long enough to take in Keith's height and bulk, and evidently decided there was uncompromising decision behind the threat. For the moment, however, he was a decided pacifist.

"I have been fishing for pearls," he said blandly, "and I believe we might all do very well if we worked together. I have not been altogether without success these last few days."

"You mean you've stolen some pearls," Keith