Until both returned, Jerry held the deck alone.

But for the fact that the white- gods were there below and were certain to be back at any moment, not many moments would Jerry have held the deck, for every lessened mile between the return boys and Malaita contributed a rising of their spirits, and under the imminence of their old-time independence, Lerumie, as an instance of many of them, with strong gustatory sensations and a positive drooling at the mouth, regarded Jerry in terms of food and vengeance that were identical.
Flat-hauled on the crisp breeze, the _Arangi_ closed in rapidly with the land.

Jerry peered through the barbed wire, sniffing the air, Skipper beside him and giving orders to the mate and helmsman.

The heap of trade- boxes was now unlashed, and the boys began opening and shutting them.
What gave them particular delight was the ringing of the bell with which each box was equipped and which rang whenever a lid was raised.

Their pleasure in the toy-like contrivance was that of children, and each went back again and again to unlock his own box and make the bell ring.
Fifteen of the boys were to be landed at Su'u and with wild gesticulations and cries they began to recognize and point out the infinitesimal details of the landfall of the only spot they had known on earth prior to the day, three years before, when they had been sold into slavery by their fathers, uncles, and chiefs.
A narrow neck of water, scarcely a hundred yards across, gave entrance to a long and tiny bay.