sea. She towed in with her boats, but they did not warp by the big
patch, and she pounded many times. She is now on the beach, where they
are strengthening the broken timbers. There are eight white men on
board. They have women from some island far to the east. The women
talk a language in many ways like ours, only different. But we can
understand. They say they were stolen by the men on the schooner. We do
not know, but they sing and dance and are happy."

"And the men?" Grief interrupted.

"They talk French. I know, for there was a mate on your schooner who
talked French long ago. There are two chief men, and they do not look
like the others. They have blue eyes like you, and they are devils. One
is a bigger devil than the other. The other six are also devils. They do
not pay us for our yams, and taro, and breadfruit. They take everything
from us, and if we complain they kill us. Thus was killed Tori, and
Tati-Tori, and Petoo, and others. We cannot fight, for we have no
guns--only two or three old guns.

"They ill-treat our women. Thus was killed Motuaro, who made defence of
Naumoo, whom they have now taken on board their schooner. It was because
of this that Pilsach was killed. Him the chief of the two chief men, the
Big Devil, shot once in his whaleboat, and twice when he tried to crawl
up the sand of the beach. Pilsach was a brave man, and Notutu now sits
in the house and cries without end. Many of the people are afraid, and
have run to live with the goats. But there is not food for all in the
high mountains. And the men will not go out and fish, and they work no
more in the gardens because of the devils who take all they have. And we
are ready to fight.

"Big Brother, we need guns, and much ammunition. I sent word before I
swam out to you, and the men are waiting. The strange white men do not
know you are come. Give me a boat, and the guns, and I will go back
before the sun. And when you come to-morrow we will be ready for the
word from you to kill the strange white men. They must be killed. Big
Brother, you have ever been of the blood with us, and the men and women
have prayed to many gods for your coming. And you are come."

"I will go in the boat with you," Grief said.

"No, Big Brother," was Mauriri's reply. "You must be with the schooner.
The strange white men will fear the schooner, not us. We will have the
guns, and they will not know. It is only when they see your schooner
come that they will be ala