s it:
If he gets talking, it's bound to come to Case, and I'm a dead man! I'm
playing his game, tell him, and if he says one word my blood will be at
his door and be the damnation of him here and after."

She told him, and he shook hands with me up to the hilt, and says he:
"No talk. Go up to-mollow. You my friend?"

"No, sir," says I, "no such foolishness.--I've come here to trade, tell
him, and not to make friends. But as to Case, I'll send that man to
glory!"

So off Maea went, pretty well pleased, as I could see.

FOOTNOTE:

[4] AEolian.

CHAPTER V

NIGHT IN THE BUSH

Well, I was committed now; Tiapolo had to be smashed up before next day,
and my hands were pretty full, not only with preparations, but with
argument. My house was like a mechanics' debating society: Uma was so
made up that I shouldn't go into the bush by night, or that, if I did, I
was never to come back again. You know her style of arguing: you've had
a specimen about Queen Victoria and the devil; and I leave you to fancy
if I was tired of it before dark.

At last I had a good idea. What was the use of casting my pearls before
her? I thought; some of her own chopped hay would be likelier to do the
business.

"I'll tell you what, then," said I. "You fish out your Bible, and I'll
take that up along with me. That'll make me right."

She swore a Bible was no use.

"That's just your Kanaka ignorance," said I. "Bring the Bible out."

She brought it, and I turned to the title-page, where I thought there
would likely be some English, and so there was. "There!" said I. "Look
at that! '_London: Printed for the British and Foreign Bible Society,
Blackfriars_,' and the date, which I can't read, owing to its being in
these X's. There's no devil in hell can look near the Bible Society,
Blackfriars. Why, you silly!" I said, "how do you suppose we get along
with our own _aitus_ at home? All Bible Society!"

"I think you no got any," said she. "White man, he tell me you no got."

"Sounds likely, don't it?" I asked. "Why would these islands all be
chock full of them and none in Europe?"

"Well, you no got bread-fruit," said she.

I could have torn my hair. "Now, look here, old lady," said I, "you dry
up, for I'm tired of you. I'll take the Bible, which'll put me as
straight as the mail, and that's the last word I've got to say."

The night fell extraordinary dark, clouds coming up with sundown and
overspreading all; not a star showe