that　lay　side　by　side　with　the　deviltry　in　the　laughing　blue
  eyes；　nose　of　a　thoroughbred　with　the　suspicion　of　a　tilt；
  long；　well…knit；　slender　figure　that　I　knew　must　have　all　the
  strength　of　fine　steel；　the　uniform　of　a　lieutenant　in　the
  Royal　Flying　Corps　of　Britain's　navy。
  He　laughed；　stretched　out　a　firm　hand；　and　gripped　mine。
  〃Thank　you　really　ever　so　much；　old　man；〃　he　said。
  I　liked　Larry　O'Keefe　from　the　beginningbut　I　did　not
  dream　as　the　Tonga　boys　pulled　us　back　to　the　Suwarna　bow
  that　liking　was　to　be　forged　into　man's　strong　love　for　man
  by　fires　which　souls　such　as　his　and　mineand　yours　who
  read　thiscould　never　dream。
  Larry！　　Larry　O'Keefe；　where　are　you　now　with　your
  leprechauns　and　banshee；　your　heart　of　a　child；　your　laugh…
  ing　blue　eyes；　and　your　fearless　soul？　　Shall　I　ever　see　you
  again；　Larry　O'Keefe；　dear　to　me　as　some　best　beloved
  younger　brother？　　Larry！
  CHAPTER　VII
  Larry　O'Keefe
  PRESSING　BACK　the　questions　I　longed　to　ask；　I　introduced
  myself。　　Oddly　enough；　I　found　that　he　knew　me；　or　rather
  my　work。　　He　had　bought；　it　appeared；　my　volume　upon　the
  peculiar　vegetation　whose　habitat　is　disintegrating　lava　rock
  and　volcanic　ash；　that　I　had　entitled；　somewhat　loosely；　I
  could　now　perceive；　Flora　of　the　Craters。　　For　he　explained
  naively　that　he　had　picked　it　up；　thinking　it　an　entirely
  different　sort　of　a　book；　a　novel　in　factsomething　like
  Meredith's　Diana　of　the　Crossways；　which　he　liked　greatly。
  He　had　hardly　finished　this　explanation　when　we　touched
  the　side　of　the　Suwarna；　and　I　was　forced　to　curb　my　curi…
  osity　until　we　reached　the　deck。
  〃That　thing　you　saw　me　sitting　on；〃　he　said；　after　he　had
  thanked　the　bowing　little　skipper　for　his　rescue；　〃was　all
  that　was　left　of　one　of　his　Majesty's　best　little　hydroairplanes
  after　that　cyclone　threw　it　off　as　excess　baggage。　　And　by　the
  way；　about　where　are　we？〃
  Da　Costa　gave　him　our　approximate　position　from　the
  noon　reckoning。
  O'Keefe　whistled。　　〃A　good　three　hundred　miles　from
  where　I　left　the　H。M。S。　Dolphin　about　four　hours　ago；〃　he
  said。　　〃That　squall　I　rode　in　on　was　some　whizzer！
  〃The　Dolphin；〃　he　went　on；　calmly　divesting　himself　of
  his　soaked　uniform；　〃was　on　her　way　to　Melbourne。　　I'd　been
  yearning　for　a　joy　ride　and　went　up　for　an　alleged　scouting
  trip。　　Then　that　blow　shot　out　of　nowhere；　picked　me　up；　and
  insisted　that　I　go　with　it。
  〃About　an　hour　ago　I　thought　I　saw　a　chance　to　zoom　up
  and　out　of　it；　I　turned；　and　BLICK　went　my　right　wing；　and
  down　I　dropped。〃
  〃I　don't　know　how　we　can　notify　your　ship；　Lieutenant
  O'Keefe；〃　I　said。　　〃We　have　no　wireless。〃
  〃Doctair　Goodwin；〃　said　Da　Costa；　〃we　could　change　our
  course；　sairperhaps〃
  〃Thanksbut　not　a　bit　of　it；〃　broke　in　O'Keefe。　　〃Lord
  alone　knows　where　the　Dolphin　is　now。　　Fancy　she'll　be　nos…
  ing　around　looking　for　me。　　Anyway；　she's　just　as　apt　to　run
  into　you　as　you　into　her。　　Maybe　we'll　strike　something　with
  a　wireless；　and　I'll　trouble　you　to　put　me　aboard。〃　He　hesi…
  tated。　　〃Where　are　you　bound；　by　the　way？〃　he　asked。
  〃For　Ponape；〃　I　answered。
  〃No　wireless　there；〃　mused　O'Keefe。　　〃Beastly　hole。
  Stopped　a　week　ago　for　fruit。　　Natives　seemed　scared　to　death
  at　usor　something。　　What　are　you　going　there　for？〃
  Da　Costa　darted　a　furtive　glance　at　me。　　It　troubled　me。
  O'Keefe　noted　my　hesitation。
  〃Oh；　I　beg　your　pardon；〃　he　said。　　〃Maybe　I　oughn't　to
  have　asked　that？〃
  〃It's　no　secret；　Lieutenant；〃　I　replied。　　〃I'm　about　to　under…
  take　some　exploration　worka　little　digging　among　the
  ruins　on　the　Nan…Matal。〃
  I　looked　at　the　Portuguese　sharply　as　I　named　the　place。
  A　pallor　crept　beneath　his　skin　and　again　he　made　swiftly
  the　sign　of　the　cross；　glancing　as　he　did　so　fearfully　to　the
  north。　　I　made　up　my　mind　then　to　question　him　when　op…
  portunity　came。　　He　turned　from　his　quick　scrutiny　of　the
  sea　and　addressed　O'Keefe。
  〃There's　nothing　on　board　to　fit　you；　Lieutenant。〃
  〃Oh；　just　give　me　a　sheet　to　throw　around　me；　Captain；〃
  said　O'Keefe　and　followed　him。　　Darkness　had　fallen；　and　as
  the　two　disappeared　into　Da　Costa's　cabin　I　softly　opened
  the　door　of　my　own　and　listened。　　Huldricksson　was　breath…
  ing　deeply　and　regularly。
  I　drew　my　electric…flash；　and　shielding　its　rays　from　my
  face；　looked　at　him。　　His　sleep　was　changing　from　the　heavy
  stupor　of　the　drug　into　one　that　was　at　least　on　the　border…
  land　of　the　normal。　　The　tongue　had　lost　its　arid　blackness
  and　the　mouth　secretions　had　resumed　action。　　Satisfied　as　to
  his　condition　I　returned　to　deck。
  O'Keefe　was　there；　looking　like　a　spectre　in　the　cotton
  sheet　he　had　wrapped　about　him。　　A　deck　table　had　been
  cleated　down　and　one　of　the　Tonga　boys　was　setting　it　for
  our　dinner。　　Soon　the　very　creditable　larder　of　the　Suwarna
  dressed　the　board；　and　O'Keefe；　Da　Costa；　and　I　attacked　it。
  The　night　had　grown　close　and　oppressive。　　Behind　us　the
  forward　light　of　the　Brunhilda　glided　and　the　binnacle　lamp
  threw　up　a　faint　glow　in　which　her　black　helmsman's　face
  stood　out　mistily。　　O'Keefe　had　looked　curiously　a　number
  of　times　at　our　tow；　but　had　asked　no　questions。
  〃You're　not　the　only　passenger　we　picked　up　today；〃　I
  told　him。　　〃We　found　the　captain　of　that　sloop；　lashed　to　his
  wheel；　nearly　dead　with　exhaustion；　and　his　boat　deserted　by
  everyone　except　himself。〃
  〃What　was　the　matter？〃　asked　O'Keefe　in　astonishment。
  〃We　don't　know；〃　I　answered。　　〃He　fought　us；　and　I　had
  to　drug　him　before　we　could　get　him　loose　from　his　lashings。
  He's　sleeping　down　in　my　berth　now。　　His　wife　and　little　girl
  ought　to　have　been　on　board；　the　captain　here　says；　but
  they　weren't。〃
  〃Wife　and　child　gone！〃　exclaimed　O'Keefe。
  〃From　the　condition　of　his　mouth　he　must　have　been
  alone　at　the　wheel　and　without　water　at　least　two　days　and
  nights　before　we　found　him；〃　I　replied。　　〃And　as　for　looking
  for　anyone　on　these　waters　after　such　a　timeit's　hopeless。〃
  〃That's　true；〃　said　O'Keefe。　　〃But　his　wife　and　baby！　　Poor；
  poor　devil！〃
  He　was　silent　for　a　time；　and　then；　at　my　solicitation；　be…
  gan　to　tell　us　more　of　himself。　　He　had　been　little　more　than
  twenty　when　he　had　won　his　wings　and　entered　the　war。　　He
  had　been　seriously　wounded　at　Ypres　during　the　third　year
  of　the　struggle；　and　when　he　recovered　the　war　was　over。
  Shortly　after　that　his　mother　had　died。　　Lonely　and　restless；
  he　had　re…entered　the　Air　Service；　and　had　remained　in　it
  ever　since。
  〃And　though　the　war's　long　over；　I　get　homesick　for　the
  lark's　land　with　the　German　planes　playing　tunes　on　their
  machine　guns　and　their　Archies　tickling　the　soles　of　my
  feet；〃　he　sighed。　　〃If　you're　in　love；　love　to　the　limit；　and　if
  you　hate；　why　hate　like　the　devil　and　if　it's　a　fight　you're　in；
  get　where　it's　hottest　and　fight　like　hellif　you　don't　life's
  not　worth　the　living；〃　sighed　he。
  I　watched　him　as　he　talked；　feeling　my　liking　for　him
  steadily　increasing。　　If　I　could　but　have　a　man　like　this　be…
  side　me　on　the　path　of　unknown　peril　upon　which　I　had　set
  my　feet　I　thought；　wistfully。　　We　sat　and　smoked　a　bit；　sip…
  ping　the　strong　coffee　the　Portuguese　made　so　well。
  Da　Costa　at　last　relieved　the　Cantonese　at　the　wheel。
  O'Keefe　and　I　drew　chairs　up　to　the　rail。　　The　brighter　stars
  shone　out　dimly　through　a　hazy　sky；　gleams　of　phosphores…
  cence　tipped　the　crests　of　the　waves　and　sparkled　with　an
  almost　angry　brilliance　as　the　bow　of　the　Suwarna　tossed
  them　aside。　　O'Keefe　pulled　contentedly　at　a　cigarette。　　The
  glowing　spark　lighted　the　keen；　boyish　face　and　the　blue
  eyes；　now　black　and　brooding　under　the　spell　of　the　tropic
  night。
  〃Are　you　American　or　Irish；　O'Keefe？〃　I　asked　suddenly。
  〃Why？〃　he　laughed。
  〃Because；〃　I　answered；　〃from　your　name　and　your　service
  I　would　suppose　you　Irishbut　your　command　of　pure
  Americanese　makes　me　doubtful。〃
  He　grinned　amiably。
  〃I'll　tell　you　how　that　is；〃　he　said。　　〃My　mother　was　an
  Americana　Grace；　of　Virginia。　　My　father　was　the
  O'Keefe；　of　Coleraine。　　And　these　two　loved　each　other　so
  well　that　the　heart　they　gave　me　is　half　Irish　and　half
  American。　　My　father　died　when　I　was　sixteen。　　I　used　to　go
  to　the　States　with　my　mother　every　other　year　for　a　month
  or　two。　　But　after　my　father　died　we　used　to　go　to　Ireland
  every　other　year。　　And　there　you　areI'm　as　much　Ameri…
  can　as　I　am　Irish。
  〃When　I'm　in　love；　or　excited；　or　dreaming；　or　mad　I
  have　the　brogue。　　But　for　the　everyday　purpose　of　life　I　like
  the　United　States　talk；　and　I　know　Broadway　as　well　as　I　do
  Binevenagh　Lane；　and　the　Sound　as　well　as　St。　Patrick's
  Channel；　educated　a　bit　at　Eton；　a　bit　at　Harvard；　always
  too　much　money　to　have　to　make　any；　in　love　lots　of　times；
  and　never　a　heartache　after　that　wasn't　a　pleasant　one；　and
  never　a　real　purpose　in　life　until　I　to