Part 16 (1/2)

”He told them to go to the village and prepare food.”

All but a half dozen of the immediate followers of the Chief turned and darted back to the village.

”Do you know the Chief's language?” asked Harry, as Uraso gave way to Muro.

”We can understand each other pretty well. There are many words which are the same, but he uses some which are new to me.”

”Do you suppose they are the same people as are on our island?”

”I do not know that. We have heard that all the people in the different islands came from the same place, but where we do not know.”

Then the boys crowded around George, and insisted on having him tell his story. Did you ever hear a boy tell a thrilling story of his own adventures? Well George was in his heaven of delight as he told of his treatment, and how he had dined with the Chief, and slept in his palace.

”His palace?” queried Harry.

”Yes, palace! It isn't a common house!” And George dilated on it to such an extent that Harry actually grew envious at the big time that George had at their expense.

The party wended its way down the hill, and when the village was reached the sight there astounded George. He had left it a sleepy place. Now all was bustle. Fires were being built; the men and women were busy preparing food. A species of hog, well known on Wonder Island, was being prepared and spitted, and hung over the heated coals.

They saw the favorite native vegetable, the Taro root, and also, to their surprise, an abundance of Uraso's poison bulb, the Amarylla, which he had tried to prepare in stealth after he had been captured, and the telling of which was the occasion of many jokes at the expense of George and Harry.

John, the two boys, together with Uraso and Muro, were ushered into the Chief's house.

”And this is what you call a 'palace'?” remarked Harry.

”Why not?”

”From your description I thought it might be on top of a big hill with graded steps leading up between rows of flowers, and the rooms filled with statuary, with a large fountain playing in the center of a fine banquet hall.”

George laughed at the joke. ”The trouble with you is that you are not a philosopher, Harry. If you had been as well treated as I have been you would think the same as I do.”

John overheard the conversation, and remarked: ”I must say that there is more philosophy in that view than even you, George, appreciate.”

”Have I said anything unusual?” he asked with a sort of mock gravity.

”Quite so; have you ever heard the saying 'Handsome is, as handsome does'? Well, that is the root of all true actions in life. From the n.o.ble manner in which this Chief treated George, giving him the best that he had, and installing him in the finest room in the house, is doing all that any one can do.”

”That is the way I really felt about it at the time. I was tired and hungry, and instead of meeting an enemy, I met a friend.”

”Do you see, Harry? George did right in calling this a palace. If it so appears in his heart, and he feels that impulse, isn't that just as real as though you see it with your eyes?”

”I didn't think of it in that way,” said Harry, apologetically. ”I like the old fellow. He is good enough to be a white man.”

CHAPTER X

PECULIARITIES OF THE NATIVE TRIBE

Within an hour the feast was ready, and the men in the open were already making merry with the maidens who prepared the meal. George and Harry frequently nudged each other, as they caught the eyes of some of the native boys who were very attentive to the gentler s.e.x.