ery sore foot; but much he cared--he was
smiling from ear to ear, and would have gone to Siumu over red-hot
coals. Off they set round the corner of the cook-house, and into the
bush beside the chicken-house, and so good-bye to them.

But you should see how Iopu has taken possession! "Never saw a place in
such a state!" is written on his face. "In my time," says he, "we didn't
let things go ragging along like this, and I'm going to show you
fellows." The first thing he did was to apply for a bar of soap, and
then he set to work washing everything (that had all been washed last
Friday in the regular course). Then he had the grass cut all round the
cook-house, and I tell you but he found scraps, and odds and ends, and
grew more angry and indignant at each fresh discovery.

"If a white chief came up here and smelt this, how would you feel?" he
asked your mother. "It is enough to breed a sickness!"

And I dare say you remember this was just what your mother had often
said to himself; and did say the day she went out and cried on the
kitchen steps in order to make Talolo ashamed. But Iopu gave it all out
as little new discoveries of his own. The last thing was the cows, and I
tell you he was solemn about the cows. They were all destroyed, he said,
nobody knew how to milk except himself--where he is about right. Then
came dinner and a delightful little surprise. Perhaps you remember that
long ago I used not to eat mashed potatoes, but had always two or three
boiled in a plate. This has not been done for months, because Talolo
makes such admirable mashed potatoes that I have caved in. But here came
dinner, mashed potatoes for your mother and the Tamaitai, and then
boiled potatoes in a plate for me!

And there is the end of the Tale of the return of Iopu, up to date. What
more there may be is in the lap of the gods, and, Sir, I am yours
considerably,

UNCLE LOUIS.

VIII

TO AUSTIN STRONG

My Dear Hoskyns,--I am kept away in a cupboard because everybody has the
influenza; I never see anybody at all, and never do anything whatever
except to put ink on paper up here in my room. So what can I find to
write to you?--you, who are going to school, and getting up in the
morning to go bathing, and having (it seems to me) rather a fine time of
it in general?

You ask if we have seen Arick? Yes, your mother saw him at the head of a
gang of boys, and looking fat, and sleek, and well-to-do. I have an idea
that he mis