an gives a
feast. Presently as we looked, we saw Franka walk into the room from a
side door and look about. His face was flushed, and he staggered
slightly in his steps. He went over to the table and poured out some
grog, and then beckoned to Preston to come and drink with him, but
Preston smiled and shook his head. How could he go when he was making
the music? Then Franka struck his clenched fist on the table in anger,
and went over to Preston, just as the dancers had stopped.

"'Why will ye not drink with me?' he said in a loud voice so that all
heard him. 'Art thou too great a man to drink with me again?'

"'Nay,' answered the other jestingly and taking no heed of Franka's rude
voice and angry eyes, 'not so great that I cannot drink with all my
friends tonight, be they white or brown,' and so saying he bade every
one in the room come to the great table with him and drink _manuia_ to
him and his young wife.

"So the nine white men--Preston, and Franka, and the seven whaleship
captains, and Nanakin, the head chief of Ponape, and many other lesser
chiefs, all gathered together around the table and filled their glasses
and drank _manuia_ to the bride, who sat on a chair in the centre of the
room surrounded by the chiefs' wives, and smiled and bowed when my
captain called her name and raised his glass towards her. Then after
this he again took up the _pese laakau_ and began to play, and my
captain and Solepa danced again. Suddenly Franka pushed his way through
the others and rudely placed his hand on her arm.

"'Come,' he said, 'leave this fellow and dance with me.'

"She cried out in terror, and then silence fell upon all as my captain
withdrew his right arm from her waist and struck Franka on the mouth; it
was a strong blow, and Franka staggered backwards and then fell near to
the open door. As he rose to his feet again my captain came up to him
and bade him leave quickly. 'We want no drunken bullies here,' he said,
and at that moment Franka drew a pistol and pointed it at his chest. I
leapt upon him and as we struggled together the pistol went off, but the
bullet hurt no one.

"Then there was a great commotion, and my captain and Preston ran to my
aid and seized Franka. They dragged him out of the room, and with words
of scorn and contempt threw him out amongst his own people who were
gathered together outside the house, with their muskets in their hands.
But already Nanakin and his chiefs had summoned their figh