iscuits enough for a
week's feast, and stuffs by the bolt. He was agreeable besides; he had
plenty fun to him; and we cracked jests together, mostly through the
interpreter, because he had mighty little English, and my native was
still off colour. One thing I made out: he could never really have
thought much harm of Uma; he could never have been really frightened,
and must just have made believe from dodginess, and because he thought
Case had a strong pull in the village and could help him on.

This set me thinking that both he and I were in a tightish place. What
he had done was to fly in the face of the whole village, and the thing
might cost him his authority. More than that, after my talk with Case on
the beach, I thought it might very well cost me my life. Case had as
good as said he would pot me if ever I got any copra; he would come home
to find the best business in the village had changed hands; and the best
thing I thought I could do was to get in first with the potting.

"See here, Uma," says I, "tell him I'm sorry I made him wait, but I was
up looking at Case's Tiapolo store in the bush."

"He want savvy if you no 'fraid?" translated Uma.

I laughed out. "Not much!" says I. "Tell him the place is a blooming
toy-shop! Tell him in England we give these things to the kids to play
with."

"He want savvy if you hear devil sing?" she asked next.

"Look here," I said, "I can't do it now because I've got no
banjo-strings in stock; but the next time the ship comes round I'll have
one of these same contraptions right here in my verandah, and he can see
for himself how much devil there is to it. Tell him, as soon as I can
get the strings I'll make one for his picaninnies. The name of the
concern is a Tyrolean harp; and you can tell him the name means in
English that nobody but dam-fools give a cent for it."

This time he was so pleased he had to try his English again: "You talk
true?" says he.

"Rather!" said I. "Talk all-e-same Bible.--Bring out a Bible here, Uma,
if you've got such a thing, and I'll kiss it. Or, I'll tell you what's
better still," says I, taking a header, "ask him if he's afraid to go up
there himself by day."

It appeared he wasn't; he could venture as far as that by day and in
company.

"That's the ticket, then!" said I. "Tell him the man's a fraud and the
place foolishness, and if he'll go up there to-morrow he'll see all
that's left of it. But tell him this, Uma, and mind he understand