dred paces, the very first
time I handled a gun, hit one of the cannibals full in the chest?"

"You touched him evidently," said Godfrey; "for he fell. But take my
advice, Tartlet, and in the common interest do not tempt fortune twice!"

The professor, slightly annoyed, allowed himself to be convinced; he
threw the gun on to his shoulder with a swagger, and both our heroes,
followed by Carefinotu, returned to Will Tree.

There the new guest of Phina Island met with quite a surprise in the
habitation so happily contrived in the lower part of the sequoia. First
he had to be shown, by using them while he looked on, the use of the
tools, instruments, and utensils. It was obvious that Carefinotu
belonged to, or had lived amongst savages in the lowest rank of the
human scale, for fire itself seemed to be unknown to him. He could not
understand why the pot did not take fire when they put it on the blazing
wood; he would have hurried away from it, to the great displeasure of
Tartlet, who was watching the different phases of the cooking of the
soup. At a mirror, which was held out to him, he betrayed consummate
astonishment; he turned round, and turned it round to see if he himself
were not behind it.

"The fellow is hardly a monkey!" exclaimed the professor with a
disdainful grimace.

"No, Tartlet," answered Godfrey; "he is more than a monkey, for his
looks behind the mirror show good reasoning power."

"Well, I will admit that he is not a monkey," said Tartlet, shaking his
head as if only half convinced; "but we shall see if such a being can be
of any good to us."

"I am sure he will be!" replied Godfrey.

In any case Carefinotu showed himself quite at home with the food placed
before him. He first tore it apart, and then tasted it; and then I
believe that the whole breakfast of which they partook the--agouti soup,
the partridge killed by Godfrey, and the shoulder of mutton with camas
and yamph roots--would hardly have sufficed to calm the hunger which
devoured him.

"The poor fellow has got a good appetite!" said Godfrey.

"Yes," responded Tartlet; "and we shall have to keep a watch on his
cannibal instinct."

"Well, Tartlet! We shall make him get over the taste of human flesh if
he ever had it!"

"I would not swear that," replied the professor. "It appears that once
they have acquired this taste--"

While they were talking, Carefinotu was listening with extreme
attention. His eyes sparkled with intelligence.