be spared.

"Tell him," said Jack, "that I consider that I have a right to ask this
of him, having not only saved the girl's life, but the lives of his own
people also; and say that I wish her to be allowed to follow her own
wishes, and join the Christians."

While this was being translated the chief's brow lowered, and we could
see plainly that our request met with no favourable reception. He
replied with considerable energy and at some length.

"What says he?" inquired Jack.

"I regret to say that he will not listen to the proposal. He says he
has pledged his word to his friend that the girl shall be sent to him,
and a deputy even now on this island awaiting the fulfilment of the
pledge."

Jack bit his lip in suppressed anger. "Tell Tararo," he exclaimed with
a flashing eye, "that if he does not grant my demand it will be worse
for him. Say I have a big gun on board my schooner that will blow his
village into the sea if he does not give up the girl."

"Nay, my friend," said the teacher gently, "I will not tell him that.
We must `overcome evil with good.'"

"What does my friend say?" inquired the chief, who seemed nettled by
Jack's looks of defiance.

"He is displeased," replied the teacher.

Tararo turned away with a smile of contempt, and walked towards the men
who carried the baskets of vegetables, and who had now emptied the whole
on the beach in an enormous pile.

"What are they doing there?" I inquired.

"I think that they are laying out a gift which they intend to present to
some one," said the teacher.

At this moment a couple of men appeared, leading a young girl between
them, and going towards the heap of fruits and vegetables, placed her on
top of it. We started with surprise and fear, for in the young female
before us we recognised the Samoan girl, Avatea.

We stood rooted to the earth with surprise and thick-coming fears.

"Oh my dear young friend!" whispered the teacher in a voice of deep
emotion; while he seized Jack by the arm, "she is to be made a sacrifice
even now!"

"Is she?" cried Jack with a vehement shout, spurning the teacher aside,
and dashing over two natives who stood in his way, while he rushed
towards the heap, sprang up its side, and seized Avatea by the arm. In
another moment he dragged her down, placed her back to a large tree, and
wrenching a war-club from the hand of a native who seemed powerless and
petrified with surprise, whirled it above his head, and yell