Collected works > Edinburgh edition, 1894-98 - Works of Robert Louis Stevenson > Volume 20, 1896 - Travels and excursion, Volume III

THE EBB-TIDE
cook, when he found Herrick messed alone, pro-
duced for him unexpected and sometimes unpalat-
able dainties, of which he forced himself to eat.
And one day, when he was forward, he was surprised
to feel a caressing hand run down his shoulder, and
to hear the voice of Sally Day crooning in his ear :
' You gootch man ! ' He turned, and, choking down
a sob, shook hands with the negrito. They were
kindly, cheery, childish souls. Upon the Sunday each
brought forth his separate Bible — for they were all
men of alien speech even to each other, and Sally
Day communicated with his mates in English only,
each read or made-believe to read his chapter, Uncle
Ned with spectacles on his nose ; and they would all
join together in the singing of missionary hymns.
It was thus a cutting reproof to compare the
islanders and the whites aboard the Farallone.
Shame ran in Herrick's blood to remember what
employment he was on, and to see these poor souls
— and even Sally Day, the child of cannibals, in all
likelihood a cannibal himself — so faithful to what
they knew of good. The fact that he was held in
grateful favour by these innocents served like
blinders to his conscience, and there were times
when he was inclined, with Sally Day, to call him-
self a good man. But the height of his favour was
only now to appear. With one voice, the crew
protested ; ere Herrick knew what they were
doing, the cook was aroused and came a willing
volunteer ; all hands clustered about their mate with
expostulations and caresses ; and he was bidden
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