rth. One thing I saw, I had
been ass enough to give him warning, and that which I meant to do I must
do at once.

You would think I had had about enough excitement for one morning, but
there was another turn waiting me. As soon as I got far enough round the
cape to see my house I made out there were strangers there; a little
farther, and no doubt about it. There was a couple of armed sentinels
squatting at my door. I could only suppose the trouble about Uma must
have come to a head, and the station been seized. For aught I could
think, Uma was taken up already, and these armed men were waiting to do
the like with me.

However, as I came nearer, which I did at top speed, I saw there was a
third native sitting on the verandah like a guest, and Uma was talking
with him like a hostess. Nearer still I made out it was the big young
chief, Maea, and that he was smiling away and smoking. And what was he
smoking? None of your European cigarettes fit for a cat, not even the
genuine big, knock-me-down native article that a fellow can really put
in the time with if his pipe is broke--but a cigar, and one of my
Mexicans at that, that I could swear to. At sight of this my heart
started beating, and I took a wild hope in my head that the trouble was
over, and Maea had come round.

Uma pointed me out to him as I came up, and he met me at the head of my
own stairs like a thorough gentleman.

"Vilivili," said he, which was the best they could make of my name, "I
pleased."

There is no doubt when an island chief wants to be civil he can do it. I
saw the way things were from the word-go. There was no call for Uma to
say to me: "He no 'fraid Ese now, come bring copra." I tell you I shook
hands with that Kanaka like as if he was the best white man in Europe.

The fact was, Case and he had got after the same girl; or Maea suspected
it, and concluded to make hay of the trader on the chance. He had
dressed himself up, got a couple of his retainers cleaned and armed to
kind of make the thing more public, and, just waiting till Case was
clear of the village, came round to put the whole of his business my
way. He was rich as well as powerful. I suppose that man was worth fifty
thousand nuts per annum. I gave him the price of the beach and a quarter
cent better, and as for credit, I would have advanced him the inside of
the store and the fittings besides, I was so pleased to see him. I must
say he bought like a gentleman: rice and tins and b