Pearl buyer Charley has just boarded Petite Jeanne, a ship that is supposed to sail from Rangiroa to Tahiti. Charley starts to worry when some of the passengers get a smallpox – and die because of it. Soon, however, smallpox doesn't seem like such a big problem as there is a hurricane ahead. Charley ends up in the sea with a Kanaka called Otoo – and their survival is a start of a beautiful friendship. 'The Heathen' is a short story by Jack London.