buying new mosquito netting for you, Mr. Rudd, Mr. Meredith, Mr. Young,
and Mr. Lorimer." (The two last-named were the overseers.)

"How are you going, Marie?" asked Raymond with a smile; "we can't spare
the cutter, and you don't want to be drowned in a _taumualua_.'

"Ah! we are not the poor, weak women you think we are. We are quite
independent--we are going to cross overland; and, more than that, we
shall be away eight days."

"Clever woman!" retorted Raymond. "It is all very well for you,
Marie--you have crossed over on many occasions; but Mrs. Marston does
not understand our mountain paths."

"My dear Tom, don't trouble that wise head of yours. _I_ have azranged
everything. Furthermore, the babies are coming with us! Serena, Olivee,
and one of Malie's girls--and I don't know how many others are to be
baby carriers. We go ten miles the first day along the coast, sleep at
Falelatai that night; then cross the range to the little bush village at
the foot of Tofua Mountain, sleep there, and then go on to Malua in the
morning. At Malua we get Harry Bevere's boat, and _he_ takes us to Apia.
Tom, it is a cut-and-dried affair, but now that I've told you of it, I
may as well tell you that Malie has aided and abetted us--the dear old
fellow. We shall be treated like princesses at every village all along
the route, and I doubt very much if we shall do much walking at all--we
shall be carried on _fata_" (cane-work litters).

"All very well, my dear; but you and Malie have been counting your
chickens too soon. Harry Revere is now in our employ, and I yesterday
sent a runner to him to go off to Savai'i and buy us a hundred tons of
yams; and he has left by now."

"Oh, Tom!" and Mrs. Raymond looked so blankly disappointed that all her
guests laughed. "Is there no other way of getting to Apia by water?"

"No, except by _toumualua_--and a pretty nice time you and Sirs. Marston
and the suffering infants would have in a native boat! On the other hand
you can walk--you are bent on walking--and by going along the coast you
can reach Apia in about four days. Give the idea up, Marie, for a month
or so, when Malie and some of his people can take you and Mrs. Marston
to Apia in comfort in the cutter."

Villari turned his dark eyes to Mrs. Raymond--

"Will you do me the honour of allowing me to take you and Mrs. Marston
to Apia in the _Lupetea?_ I shall be delighted."

"It is very kind of you, Captain Villari," said the planter's wi