Lumi's Lagoon.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 232, 28 September 1908, Page 6

Lumi's Lagoon.

By OWEN HALL.

The hut looked >cry big in the flaring light of the torches, and it seemed '. to be quite full of wild-looking natives everywhere, except at the end farthest from the entrance. At first I couldn't see what there was at that end, and per- i haps I didn't look much, I was so taken up with the wild faces and savage looking clubs and spears that almost . touched mc as I passed, but at last I was i : pressed forwards till I got close to that i ' end. ■ A piece of the earthern floor had been '. raised more than a foot higher than the | rest at that end, and there were two j men sitting there. One of them was a big man with an ugly scowling face, but i the other, on the side nearest mc, looked i ! quite young. I felt Bill stop with a kind of start, ' and I looked up into his face to see why. "Blowed if this ain't a queer start, nei- '■ ther," he muttered to himself. "What, Bill?" I asked. "Don't ye see, Sonny? There's the chap as did the coo-ec; lie's white, he is —leastways, on the outside he is." ; I stared hard at the man. Yes, Bill ; was right. He wasn't very white, but ( he was ever so much whiter than the j others. He was dressed in a sort* oft; cloak made of something with soft, | < hairy-looking ends, almost like fur, and I ; a kind of mat fastened round his waist, I | so that only a little of his skin could < be seen. The other was a black-fellow, 1 sure enough, but I liked his face, in . spite of that. For one thing, he was _ young; not more than two or three years older than myself, I thought, and . his eyes weren't small and red like the . others, or even like the big ugly man j ' that sat on the raised place beside him. Nobody except Bill had said a single |; word since we came in, though there was a kind of low murmur that .seemed to fill the hut, and a strange rustling sound - that must somehow have been caused by the movement of so many naked bodies. We couldn't have been more than three or four yards from the men on the platform when we stopped, and I seemed to see their faces quite clearly, even by the flickering light of the smoky torches. The face of the white man — if he really was white —looked uglier near at hand. He had coarse, ugly features, but his eyes were the worst: they looked cruel and treacherous, I thought, as I saw him look hard at Bill. Bill stared at him, too, with a curious look, and neither of them took his eyes off the other for several minutes. 1 didn't care to look at him, even if Bill did, so I turned to look at the black chicf —for I felt sure he must be a chief —who was looking at mc with something that was almost a smile in his eyes. He was dressed in a cloak, nearly the same as the one the white chief wore, but 6omehow it looked almost grand on him, and 1 noticed he had what looked like a very small club in his hand that seemed to be made of -wood that was nearly black. I was still looking at him when the white chief rose and began to speak. 1 don't think he could have spoken the language very well, for he spoke slowly, but the crowd of natives pressed forward, as if to hear more distinctly, and, at any rate, before he had been talking live minutes he seemed to be' able to do what he liked with them. It was horrible to see all those white staring eyeballs moving as he. moved, and even the black bodies swaying back and forward whenever he swayed his great ugly body. I was sure he was speaking about Bill and mc, and it was terrible to see all those eyes roll round and look at us every minute. I felt quite certain he was trying to set them against us, though, of course, I didn't understand j one word he said—his eyes Mere 1 enough. There was only one thing I was glad I of: the black chief didn't iike it. if I could see an angry look gather on h?" I face, and a ligut come into his even;! I once or twice he almost rose to his feet, I as if he would like to stop him. But j all this time the black-fellows were getI ting more excited at what the white/ I chief was telling them. I could see them! I move uneasily, and now and then a club I or a spear was waved in the smoky air overhead, while sounds almost like J grunts broke from the crowd every min-1 I ute or two. I I grew more frightened every moment, 1 though I think 1 was even more afraid | for Bill than for myself, for it was at him they all seemed to look, and I felt quite sure it was at him they were shaking the spears. All at once the white chief stopped speaking; then for a moment or two he looked hard at Bill and sat down. A sound like a gasp went shuddering through the big hut, and for a moment I shut my eyes—l thought they were going to kill us. When I opened them Bill had made one great stride forwards till he was almost within arm's length of the chief. "I ain't a-sayin' but what I thought 1 knowed yer 'andsome face," he said, in a voice that sounded deeper and stronger than ever. "So it's you. Bob, is it? Well, see here; the sooner ye drop this 'ere foolery the better—an' don't you forget it, neither, Bob Stringer."' There was no mistake about it —the chief was a white man. As Bill growled out the name he turned pale. In spite of the dirt, or the stains on his'face, he : changed colour, and sprang to his feet with a kind of snarl, staring at Bill as if he had seen a ghost-, then his mouth fell open, and his eyes glared, with a look half-frightened and half-fierce, as he muttered: "Bill Stokes!" He had no sooner said .t than he lifted the little ciub he held in his hand—it was like the one the black chief carried, only not ' so dark—and pointed at Bill. For the last minute I bad almost forgotten the i natives with the spears behind us, but now I looked round with a start. 1 . was just in time to see a big black fel- | low spring forward with a club in his ; hand, and feel him seize mc by the arm i and drag mc backwards, almost off my | feet. I cried out: "Bill, Bill! He's go- ■ ing to kill mc!" 'j Till that momtnt I don't think Bill j had once taken his eyes off the white chief, but at my cry he wheeled about, ' just in time to see mc being dragged back. Bill very seldom swore, but now I heard one great oath spring from his i lips as he made two quick strides after mc. The black-fellow flourished his club, as if he would strike him, but Bill i wrenched it from liim with a single mo- : tion of his hand, and at the same moment f ffelt that I was free; the man I ; had let mc go. Perhaps he did it to get ' back the club Bill had seized, but at any, 1 rate I was just in time to see him spring' : |at Bill like a tiger. Bill put out a j hand and caught him by the throat; then he seemed to lift him in 'the air, ' and for some seconds hold him there ; struggling helplessly. "No ye don't, Blacky — not much!" was all Bill said; then he turned, and with a motion of his great arm hurled the man from him. He rolled over twice, aimoct like a ball, and then he lay

CHAPTER 111. . THE CHIEFS OF PALM-TREE ISLAND. I gave one startled cry and looked at Bill. His eyes were fixed on the spot from which the call had seemed to come, and he looked puzzled. ' What is it. Bill? " I gasped. " Who , could have coo-eed here? " j "Dunne, Sonny; nor I ain't a-sayin', but what 'tis queer, neither—you bet. ! Suppose you an' mc goes ashore an' , sees," he added suddenly, as if he had just made up his mind. | He gave a strong pull at the steer oaT, i and let go the sheet as he spoke. The j boat veered, the sail flapped, and in less than a minute we had grounded on the sloping beach. '" Here we are, youngster," he exclaimed, " come ashore in time for supper on Coaky-nut Island, an' don't you forget it." An instant more and Bill had stepped overboard, and laid a hand on the bo.t'a gunwale. "Now. then," he added, "bear a hand afore they comes along to make us welcome." I had been staring about mc when I was aroused by Bill's summons, but then I jumped ashore ready to do all I could to help. Not much was needed, for before we had pulled her up more than a yard or two, Bill stopped. " That'll do, youngster," he said. v Theer ain't no use of haulm' of tier too far, neither—leastways, not till ye've got into winter quarters; final, no more 1 ain't a-sayin' but what here's some o* them bloomin' niggurs comin' along for to ask us to supper." " Was it a niggur that coo-eed, Bill, do you think?" 1 asked, staring around as I spoke, for the niggurs, but without suecesss. "No. Sonny; I ain't a-sayin' that, not altogether, neither. Sonny. But what I says is—you hold on a bit, an" we'll see." At that moment I caught sigth of several black heads just showing avobe the low scrub that fringed the beach. "Here they come, Bill," I cried, " they're only black fellows, after all." "Right ye was, Sonny; who was asayin' as how they was white. No, nor I ain't a-sayin' as how they're none too handsome, neither; an' don't you forget, it; on'y they ain't a-sittin' for portraits, Sonny; leastways not now, they ain't." There were ten or a dozen of them, and every one was armed in native fashion with club or spear. They came out of the scrub in two parties, and advanced cautiously, watching us as they came on with suspicious looks. One of the men was taller than the others, and walked a little way in front until he was within three or four yards of the boat beside which we were standing. Then he halted, and making a kind of bow to Bill, waved his hand and said " Come! " Bill laughed. "Well, now," said he, "I ain't got no call for to say as that's bad for a niggur—not mc. Right ye was, old man, I'm yer Moses, I am. Come along, Sonny: this 'ere's the master o' tho ceremonies, if I ain't mistook.'' ln another minute Bill and I were tollowing the three men who carried the clubs, while the others who carried the spears followed behind in a body. 1 suppose I may have looked uncomfortable, for I certainly felt a little frightl ened. but Bill put his hand on my shoulder with a laugh. " Never you go for to fret yer gizzard, | Sonny. It's the first time as ever ye ' had the starboard witch turned out for :to take ye to supper; keep up yer cour- ! age. an' don't let ci as yer ain't been I used to ha\in' the whole ship's company! a-follerin' of ye' I ! The touch of Bill's hand seemed to give Ime confidence, though I couldn't help 1 i wondering whether he ever was afraid (of anything, as he iooked at mc with a * smile in bis eyes. 1 The sudden darkners of the tropical night was closing us in at we turned I from the beach into a path that led I through the thick scrub of bushes and small trees. I walked beside Bill, and 1 did my best to look as if I didn't mind, I but I couldn't help glancing suspiciously /at each darker place we came to, or | I starting whenever there was a sound I among the trees. We must have gone I more than a quarter of a mile when the scrub came to an end quite suddenly, and we found ourselves on open ground once more. It looked like a bush ciearing, except that there were no stumps, and every here and there a tall cocoanut tree stood by itself, and waved its head in the breeze. It had grown almost I dark, but I could just make out what I looked like huts at the farther side of the open space with the shadow of the 1 dark scrub coming close behind. There was a fire burning in (he middle |of the clearing, and it seemed to make I everything behind it daTker, but in spits of that I could see what look'pd iike a crowd of naked black figures staring at lus out of the shadows as we passed.' They all seemed to carry cither clubs or spears, and as I glanced backwards over my shoulder I could see a dark crowd of threatening savages following, [us. I didn't like to look at their faces, indeed I could see very little of them I but great heads of hair, and staring I white eyeballs that looked at mc so hun- J i grily that I shivered, as I thought that] perhaps they meant not only to kill, but to eat us. too. I The time seemed long before we got to the entrance of a big hut, which stood by itself at the other 3ide of the open ground. There was a glimmer of lights , inside, and when we stopped at the door . we were met by a sound that was like what you could fancy a drum making i if it had a bad cold. 1 believe I was terribly frightened, and I looked at) Bill to see what he thought, but he only! - looked at mc with that half-laughing ' look in his eyes as he laid his hand on j my shoulder for an instant. I "No, Sonny," he said coolly, "I ain't a-sayin' as how it looks tip-top, neither —not mc. But bless yer 'art, it don't hurt—that don't. They likes it." The tall native wno was the leader glanced behind him as if to see that his party were in order, and then marched I I through the wide entrance between rows lof eager black faces and gleaming eyes I that glittered in the smoky light of flarI ing torches held high overhead by some lof the natives behind. The crowd that was following pressed in behind us, and II felt as if I were being carried along I without walking a step. I suppose they pressed on Bill too, for I saw him stop, and lay his open hand on the breast of ,la big native behind him. j "Theer, now, Blacky," he said pleasantly, "you take a reef in that theer' fore-sail o' yours, will ye; or maybe you'll go ashore, an' don't you forget it." As he spoke he pushed the man back several feet, in spite of the crowd behind him; then Bill turned and walked on.

still at the feet of the white chief. A cry that was almost a sob came from .- the tossing crowd, sand stopped as suddenly as it came. Bill had warned them back with his hand. "There, Bob Stringer!" he growled; '"you make them niggurs o' yours keep their hands off; leastways if they d»n't, I ain't a-sayin' but what somebody'll get hurt, an' don't you forget it." The moment I had been let go I had jumped back to get as far as I could from that crowd of wild faces, but they seemed to oe coming after mc still, though they were afraid to get too near to Bill. I looked .round desperately for help, and noticed that I was close to the platform, near the place where the black chief was seated. The crowd of fierce black faces was close Behind mc, and I looked despairingly at his young face. He had risen from his seat, and as I looked anxiously at him I remember I thought he was only a lad. Even as the thought flashed throng 1 .! my mind he stepped forward, and . ■; ii . his hand suddenly on my s 11os• held up the other in which he held i.i little club. The crowd of wild faces stared, and stood still. (To be continued daily.)