er it was the gratifying
acknowledgment of his superiority thus made by the teacher, or some
lingering feeling of gratitude for Jack's former aid in time of need,
that influenced Tararo, but he stepped forward, and, waving his hand,
said to his people,--"Desist. The young man's life is mine." Then,
turning to Jack, he said, "You have forfeited your liberty and life to
me. Submit yourself, for we are more numerous than the sand upon the
shore. You are but one; why should you die?"

"Villain!" exclaimed Jack, passionately, "I may die, but, assuredly, I
shall not perish alone. I will not submit until you promise that this
girl shall not be injured."

"You are very bold," replied the chief, haughtily, "but very foolish. Yet
I will say that Avatea shall not be sent away, at least for three days."

"You had better accept these terms," whispered the teacher, entreatingly.
"If you persist in this mad defiance, you will be slain, and Avatea will
be lost. Three days are worth having."

Jack hesitated a moment, then lowered his club, and, throwing it moodily
to the ground, crossed his arms on his breast, and hung down his head in
silence.

Tararo seemed pleased by his submission, and told the teacher to say that
he did not forget his former services, and, therefore, would leave him
free as to his person, but that the schooner would be detained till he
had further considered the matter.

While the teacher translated this, he approached as near to where Avatea
was standing as possible, without creating suspicion, and whispered to
her a few words in the native language. Avatea, who, during the whole of
the foregoing scene, had stood leaning against the tree perfectly
passive, and seemingly quite uninterested in all that was going on,
replied by a single rapid glance of her dark eye, which was instantly
cast down again on the ground at her feet.

Tararo now advanced, and taking the girl by the hand, led her
unresistingly away, while Jack, Peterkin, and I returned with the teacher
on board the schooner.

On reaching the deck, we went down to the cabin, where Jack threw
himself, in a state of great dejection, on a couch; but the teacher
seated himself by his side, and, laying his hand upon his shoulder,
said,--

"Do not give way to anger, my young friend. God has given us three days,
and we must use the means that are in our power to free this poor girl
from slavery. We must not sit in idle disappointment, we must a