One at a time, compelling the others to remain in their places, he directed the return boys astern and ashore.

It was Solomon Islands tactics.

Crowding was dangerous.

Never could the blacks be risked to confusion in numbers.

And Van Horn, smoking his cigar in lordly indifferent fashion, kept his apparently uninterested eyes glued to each boy who made his way aft, box on shoulder, and stepped out on the land.