that he almost ate his master up. He became like an india-rubber
ball gone mad! He bounded round him to such an extent that Jarwin found
it very difficult to get hold of or pat him. It is impossible to do
justice to such a meeting. We draw a veil over it, only remarking that
the sailor took his old favourite back to the village, and, after much
entreaty and a good deal of persuasive song, was permitted to keep him.

About ten months after this event, war broke out between the Big Chief
and a neighbouring tribe of natives, who were a very quarrelsome and
vindictive set. The tribe with whom Jarwin dwelt would gladly have
lived at peace, but the other tribe was stronger in numbers and thirsted
for conquest--a consequence of strength which is by no means confined to
savages!

When war was formally declared, the Big Chief told Jarwin to prepare
himself for battle. At first our hero had some qualms of conscience
about it, but on reflecting that on the part of the tribe to which he
belonged it was a war of self-defence, his conscience was pacified.

The Big Chief ordered him to throw away his now ragged garments, smear
his whole body over with oil and red earth, paint black spots on his
cheeks, and a white streak down his nose, and put on warrior's costume.
In vain Jarwin begged and protested and sang. The Big Chief's blood was
up, and his commands must be obeyed, therefore Jarwin did as he was bid;
went out to battle in this remarkable costume--if we may so style it--
and proved himself such a prodigy of valour that his prowess went far to
turn the tide of victory wherever he appeared during the fight. But we
pass over all this. Suffice it to say, that the pugnacious tribe was
severely chastised and reduced to a state of quiet--for the time at
least.

One day, not long after the cessation of the war, a canoe arrived with
several natives, all of whom wore clothing of a much more civilised
description than is usually seen among South-Sea savages. They had a
long, earnest talk with the natives, but Jarwin was not allowed to hear
it, or to show himself. Next day they went away. For some time after
that Big Chief was very thoughtful, but silent, and Jarwin could not
induce him to become confidential until he had sung all his melodies and
all his psalms several times over, and had indulged in extempore melody
and gibberish until his brain and throat were alike exhausted. The Big
Chief gave way at last, however, and