had BORROWED my weapon to take it with him to the
forest, where he had gone to hunt, and that he would return it to me
in the evening. I affected to take it in good part, although feeling
secretly ill at ease. Later in the day I came to the conclusion that
Runi had had it in his mind to murder me, that I had softened him by
singing that Indian story, and that by taking possession of the revolver
he showed that he now only meant to keep me a prisoner. Subsequent
events confirmed me in this suspicion. On his return he explained that
he had gone out to seek for game in the woods; and, going without
a companion, he had taken my revolver to preserve him from
dangers--meaning those of a supernatural kind; and that he had had the
misfortune to drop it among the bushes while in pursuit of some animal.
I answered hotly that he had not treated me like a friend; that if he
had asked me for the weapon it would have been lent to him; that as
he had taken it without permission he must pay me for it. After some
pondering he said that when he took it I was sleeping soundly; also,
that it would not be lost; he would take me to the place where he had
dropped it, when we could search together for it.

He was in appearance more friendly towards me now, even asking me to
repeat my last evening's song, and so we had that performance all over
again to everybody's satisfaction. But when morning came he was not
inclined to go to the woods: there was food enough in the house, and the
pistol would not be hurt by lying where it had fallen a day longer. Next
day the same excuse; still I disguised my impatience and suspicion of
him and waited, singing the ballad for the third time that evening. Then
I was conducted to a wood about a league and a half away and we hunted
for the lost pistol among the bushes, I with little hope of finding it,
while he attended to the bird voices and frequently asked me to stand or
lie still when a chance of something offered.

The result of that wasted day was a determination on my part to escape
from Runi as soon as possible, although at the risk of making a deadly
enemy of him and of being compelled to go on that long journey to
Riolama with no better weapon than a hunting-knife. I had noticed, while
appearing not to do so, that outside of the house I was followed or
watched by one or other of the Indians, so that great circumspection
was needed. On the following day I attacked my host once more about the
revolver,