The base of each staff was
surrounded by short posts, painted white and connected by heavy chains.
The staffs themselves were like ships' masts, with topmasts spliced on in
true nautical fashion, with shrouds, ratlines, gaffs, and flag-halyards.
From the gaff of one, two gay flags hung limply, one a checkerboard of
blue and white squares, the other a white pennant centred with a red
disc. It was the international code signal of distress.
On the far corner of the compound fence a hawk brooded. The man watched
it, and knew that it was sick. He wondered idly if it felt as bad as he
felt, and was feebly amused at the thought of kinship that somehow
penetrated his fancy. He roused himself to order the great bell to be
rung as a signal for the plantation hands to cease work and go to their
barracks. Then he mounted his man-horse and made the last round of the
day.
In the hospital were two new cases. To these he gave castor-oil. He
congratulated himself. It had been an easy day. Only three had died. He
inspected the copra-drying that had been going on, and went through the
barracks to see if there were any sick lying hidden and defying his rule
of segregation. Returned to the house, he received the reports of the
boss-boys and gave instructions for next day's work.
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