I.

"Because the girl's somewhat obstinate, like most o' the sex, an' won't
marry the man he wants her to. It seems that a chief of some other
island came on a visit to Tararo and took a fancy to her; but she
wouldn't have him on no account, bein' already in love, and engaged to a
young chief whom Tararo hates, and she kicked up a desperate shindy.
So, as he was goin' on a war-expedition in his canoe, he left her to
think about it, sayin' he'd be back in six months or so, when he hoped
she wouldn't be so obstropolous. This happened just a week ago; an'
Tararo says that if she's not ready to go, when the chief returns, as
his bride, she'll be sent to him as a _long pig_."

"As a long pig!" I exclaimed in surprise. "Why, what does he mean by
that?"

"He means somethin' very unpleasant," answered Bill with a frown. "You
see, these blackguards eat men an' women just as readily as they eat
pigs; and as baked pigs and baked men are very like each other in
appearance, they call men _long_ pigs. If Avatea goes to this fellow as
a long pig, it's all up with her, poor thing!"

"Is she on the island now?" I asked eagerly.

"No; she's at Tararo's island."

"And where does it lie?"

"About fifty or sixty miles to the south'ard o' this," returned Bill;
"but I--"

At this moment we were startled by the cry of "mao! mao--a shark! a
shark!" which was immediately followed by a shriek that rang clear and
fearfully loud above the tumult of cries that arose from the savages in
the water and on the land. We turned hastily towards the direction
whence the cry came, and had just time to observe the glaring eyeballs
of one of the swimmers as he tossed his arms in the air. Next instant
he was pulled under the waves. A canoe was instantly launched, and the
hand of the drowning man was caught; but only half of his body was
dragged from the maw of the monster, which followed the canoe until the
water became so shallow that it could scarcely swim. The crest of the
next billow was tinged with red as it rolled towards the shore.

In most countries of the world this would have made a deep impression on
the spectators; but the only effect it had upon these islanders was to
make them hurry with all speed out of the sea, lest a similar fate
should befall some of the others. But so utterly reckless were they of
human life that it did not for a moment suspend the progress of their
amusements. It is true the surf-swimming ended for th