sthood, from the fact of his having a comb on his head like a
rooster. But this was not all: for, still more wonderful to relate, the
boy prided himself upon this strange crest, being actually endowed with a
cock's voice, and frequently crowing over his peculiarity.

But to return to Toby. The moment he saw the old rover on the beach, he
ran up to him, the natives following after, and forming a circle round
them.

After welcoming him to the shore, Jimmy went on to tell him how that he
knew all about our having run away from the ship, and being among the
Typees, indeed, he had been urged by Mowanna to come over to the valley,
and, after visiting his friends there, to bring us back with him, his
royal master being exceedingly anxious to share with him the reward which
had been held out for our capture. He, however, assured Toby that he had
indignantly spurned the offer.

All this astonished my comrade not a little, as neither of us had
entertained the least idea that any white man ever visited the Typees
sociably. But Jimmy told him that such was the case, nevertheless,
although he seldom came into the bay, and scarcely ever went back from the
beach. One of the priests of the valley, in some way or other connected
with an old tattooed divine in Nukuheva, was a friend of his, and through
him he was "taboo."

He said, moreover, that he was sometimes employed to come round to the
bay, and engage fruit for ships lying in Nukuheva. In fact, he was now on
that very errand, according to his own account, having just come across
the mountains by the way of Happar. By noon of the next day, the fruit
would be heaped up in stacks on the beach, in readiness for the boats,
which he then intended to bring into the bay.

Jimmy now asked Toby whether he wished to leave the island--if he did,
there was a ship in want of men, lying in the other harbour, and he would
be glad to take him over, and see him on board that very day.

"No," said Toby; "I cannot leave the island, unless my comrade goes with
me. I left him up the valley because they would not let him come down. Let
us go now and fetch him."

"But how is he to cross the mountain with us," replied Jimmy, "even if we
get him down to the beach? Better let him stay till to-morrow, and I will
bring him round to Nukuheva in the boats."

"That will never do," said Toby; "but come along with me now, and let us
get him down here at any rate"; and yielding to the impulse of the moment,