fter stepping back he raised the spear,
and held it over the head of the Korino who carried the rope. The latter
stepped to the tree and with a dextrous throw sent a coil of rope over
the first limb and caught the other end of it.

The spear was then laid over the head of the man with the knife, and he
sprang forward grasping the rope, and when the spear was poised on high,
he gracefully crept hand over hand up the rope.

The instant the man's hand seized the rope the people fell to the ground
and covered their faces. The boys did not want to lose this part of the
ceremony, you may be sure, but they tried to observe the rites.

A side glance was sufficient to assure them that the Chief did not
kneel, nor did either John, Uraso or Muro; but they were privileged
characters, so the boys went through the ceremony by peering through
their fingers, and at the same time trying to find out whether there
were not others trying to do the same.

The man went up and up, and soon emerged from the last spare branches at
the top, until his face was near the great white flower which grew on
the tip.

"I think that is the flower all the people were looking at," said George
in a whisper.

The man raised the knife, and with one slash severed the stem. Then,
raising himself up to his full height, so his body could be plainly
seen, he waved the flower about his head three times, and the leader at
the base of the tree again struck the trunk three times.

Immediately the people arose and placed their hands before them exactly
like a bather on a perch about to dive, and with the palms of the hands
thus placed against each other, the arms were raised to a vertical
position, and lowered three times.

With hands still in their lowered position, and eyes cast on the ground,
the Korino in the tree slowly descended, and the one who threw the rope
quickly detached it from the tree.

The spear was then placed over the head of the man with the sticks. He
crossed his legs and sat down, and with an exceedingly rapid motion,
soon caused smoke to arise, and then a tiny flame appeared.

"Why didn't they tell us about it, and we could have let them use some
of our matches," said George dryly, as Harry made a great show of
indignation at the irrelevant remark.

A fire was quickly kindled, and the man with the bowl knelt down, after
fixing two stones on opposite sides of the fire. From a small receptacle
he took a powder, and dropped it into the b