Tararo at the same moment recognised me, and, advancing quickly, took me
round the neck and rubbed noses; which had the effect of transferring a
good deal of the moist paint from his nose to mine. Then, recollecting
that this was not the white man's mode of salutation, he grasped me by
the hand and shook it violently.

"Hallo, Ralph!" cried Bill, in surprise, "that chap seems to have taken a
sudden fancy to you, or he must be an old acquaintance."

"Right, Bill," I replied, "he is indeed an old acquaintance;" and I
explained in a few words that he was the chief whose party Jack and
Peterkin and I had helped to save.

Tararo having thrown away his surf-board, entered into an animated
conversation with Bill, pointing frequently during the course of it to
me; whereby I concluded he must be telling him about the memorable
battle, and the part we had taken in it. When he paused, I begged of
Bill to ask him about the woman Avatea, for I had some hope that she
might have come with Tararo on this visit. "And ask him," said I, "who
she is, for I am persuaded she is of a different race from the
Feejeeans." On the mention of her name the chief frowned darkly, and
seemed to speak with much anger.

"You're right, Ralph," said Bill, when the chief had ceased to talk;
"she's not a Feejee girl, but a Samoan. How she ever came to this place
the chief does not very clearly explain, but he says she was taken in
war, and that he got her three years ago, an' kept her as his daughter
ever since. Lucky for her, poor girl, else she'd have been roasted and
eaten like the rest."

"But why does Tararo frown and look so angry?" said I.

"Because the girl's somewhat obstinate, like most o' the sex, an' won't
marry the man he wants her to. It seems that a chief of some other
island came on a visit to Tararo and took a fancy to her, but she
wouldn't have him on no account, bein' already in love, and engaged to a
young chief whom Tararo hates, and she kicked up a desperate shindy; so,
as he was going on a war expedition in his canoe, he left her to think
about it, sayin' he'd be back in six months or so, when he hoped she
wouldn't be so obstropolous. This happened just a week ago; an' Tararo
says that if she's not ready to go, when the chief returns, as his bride,
she'll be sent to him as a _long pig_."

"As a long pig!" I exclaimed in surprise; "why what does he mean by
that?"

"He means somethin' very unpleasant," answered Bill wi