ith the swaying palms, Ridan groaned in his agony, and
Pulu, the steersman, who was a big strong man and not a coward like his
fellows, took pity on the captive.

'Let us give him a drink,' he said; 'he cannot hurt us as he is. Else he
may die in the boat and we lose the price of his passage; for the white
men at Mulifanua will not pay us for bringing to them a dead man.'

So they cast off the lashings of _fau_ bark that bound Ridan to the
thwart, and Pulu, lifting him up, gave him a long drink, holding the
gourd to his quivering mouth--for his hands were tied behind him.

'Let him rest with his back against the side of the boat,' said Pulu
presently; 'and, see, surely we may loosen the thongs around his wrists
a little, for they are cutting into the flesh.'

But the others were afraid, and begged him to let well alone. Then Pulu
grew angry and called them cowards, for, as they argued, Ridan fell
forward on his face in a swoon.

When 'the devil' came to and opened his wearied, blood-shot eyes, Pulu
was bathing his forehead with cold water, and his bruised and swollen
hands were free. For a minute or so he gasped and stared at the big
Samoan, and a heavy sigh broke from his broad naked chest. Then he put
his hands to his face--and sobbed.

Pulu drew back in wondering pity--surely no devil could weep--and then,
with a defiant glance at the three other Samoans, he stooped down and
unbound Ridan's feet.

'Let him lie,' he said, going aft to the tiller. 'We be four strong
men--he is but as a child from weakness. See, his bones are like to cut
through his skin. He hath been starved.'

* * * * *

At dusk they ran the boat along the plantation jetty, and Pulu and
another man led Rfdan up the path to the manager's house. His hands were
free, but a stout rope of cinnet was tied around his naked waist and
Pulu held the end.

'Ah, you dumb, sulky devil; you've come back to us again, have you?'
said Burton, eyeing him savagely. 'I wish Schwartzkoff had kept you up
in Apia, you murderous, yellow-hided scoundrel!'

'What's the use of bully-ragging him?' remarked the plantation engineer,
with a sarcastic laugh; 'he doesn't understand a word you say. Club-law
and the sasa {*} are the only things that appeal to him--and he gets
plenty of both on Mulifanua. Hallo, look at that! Why, he's kissing
Pulu's toe!'

* Whip.

Burton laughed. 'So he is. Look out, Pulu, perhaps he's a _kai tagata