for this purpose. I have been talking to Lihoa and the others about
the belief in Jesus Christ and baptism, and many of them said that if
our God would save them now in their hour of peril, they would be
baptized. The most of them are looking for help from one of their gods
who rides on a Golden Fish. They expect he will be forced to rescue
them from this miserable reef through the offerings of one of their
priests."

"A God that rides on a Golden Fish? I'd like to see him," said Willy.
"You are right about advising them to be baptized. We may all perish
here before Tommy gets back with help. And if we do, the Chinese with
the holy grace of baptism will go to heaven. If we are all saved, then
they will take back with them to Hongkong a greater treasure than all
the gold of the Goldland to the south. That would be such a fine thing
for yon, Peppo! Do you not remember what Father Somazzo said about the
saving of a soul--that one precious soul was worth more to God than all
the gold and jewels in the world. What a happy boy you will be, if you
save not one but three hundred souls? Oh, if I only understood Chinese
and could help you explain our faith!"

"You can help by offering this awful desire for water to God as a
sacrifice. Father Somazzo used to tell us to offer up many unpleasant
little things as sacrifices to God for the conversion of the heathens
and promised us our reward for so doing."

Willy did as Peppo suggested and his thirst became easier to bear.
Captain Brown who happened to be standing by and overheard this
conversation most heartily approved of the plan. Since the rescue from
the shipwreck he had been a different man. Redfox no longer held him
in his power; drinking and gambling had no attractions for him and he