om they met fell on their knees at once, till the strange
procession had passed them by; the men only bowed their heads thrice, and
made a rapid movement on their breasts with their fingers, which reminded
Muriel at once of the sign of the cross in Catholic countries.

So on they wended their way in silence through the deep tropical jungle,
along a pathway just wide enough for three to walk abreast, till they
emerged suddenly upon a large cleared space, in whose midst grew a great
banyan-tree, with arms that dropped and rooted themselves like buttresses
in the soil beneath. Under the banyan-tree a raised platform stood upon
posts of bamboo. The platform was covered with fine network in yellow and
red; and two little stools occupied the middle, as if placed there on
purpose and waiting for their occupants.

The man who had headed the first canoe turned round to Felix and motioned
him forward. "This is Heaven," he said glibly, in his own tongue.
"Spirits, ascend it!"

Felix, much wondering what the ceremony could mean, mounted the platform
without a word, in obedience to the chief's command, closely followed by
Muriel, who dared not leave him for a second.

"Bring water!" the chief said, shortly, in a voice of authority to one
of his followers.

The man handed up a calabash with a little water in it. The chief took
the rude vessel from his hands in a reverential manner, and poured a few
drops of the contents on Felix's head; the water trickled down over his
hair and forehead. Involuntarily, Felix shook his head a little at the
unexpected wetting, and scattered the drops right and left on his neck
and shoulders. The chief watched this performance attentively with
profound satisfaction. Then he turned to his attendants.

"The spirit shakes his head," he said, with a deeply convinced air. "All
is well. Heaven has chosen him. Korong! Korong! He is accepted for his
purpose. It is well! It is well! Let us try the other one."

He raised the calabash once more, and poured a few drops in like manner
on Muriel's dark hair. The poor girl, trembling in every limb, shook her
head also in the same unintentional fashion. The chief regarded her with
still more complacent eyes.

"It is well," he observed once more to his companions, smiling. "She,
too, gives the sign of acceptance. Korong! Korong! Heaven is well pleased
with both. See how her body trembles!"

At that moment a girl came forward with a little basket of fruits. The