would not have ventured the Guadalcanar bush
alone, with a white man like Sheldon behind them, and a white Mary such
as they knew Joan to be, they could expect a safe and delightful time.
Besides, the great master had told them that the eight gigantic Tahitians
were going along.

The Poonga-Poonga volunteers stood with glistening eyes and grinning
faces, naked save for their loin-cloths, and barbarously ornamented. Each
wore a flat, turtle-shell ring suspended through his nose, and each
carried a clay pipe in an ear-hole or thrust inside a beaded biceps
armlet. A pair of magnificent boar tusks graced the chest of one. On
the chest of another hung a huge disc of polished fossil clam-shell.

"Plenty strong fella fight," Sheldon warned them in conclusion.

They grinned and shifted delightedly.

"S'pose bushmen _kai-kai_ along you?" he queried.

"No fear," answered their spokesman, one Koogoo, a strapping,
thick-lipped Ethiopian-looking man. "S'pose Poonga-Poonga boy _kai-kai_
bush-boy?"

Sheldon shook his head, laughing, and dismissed them, and went to
overhaul the dunnage-room for a small shelter tent for Joan's use.

CHAPTER XXIV--IN THE BUSH

It was quite a formidable expedition that departed from Berande at break
of day next morning in a fleet of canoes and dinghies. There were Joan
and Sheldon, with Binu Charley and Lalaperu, the eight Tahitians, and the
ten Poonga-Poonga men, each proud in the possession of a bright and
shining modern rifle. In addition, there were two of the plantation
boat's-crews of six men each. These, however, were to go no farther than
Carli, where water transportation ceased and where they were to wait with
the boats. Boucher remained behind in charge of Berande.

By eleven in the morning the expedition arrived at Binu, a cluster of
twenty houses on the river bank. And from here thirty odd Binu men
accompanied them, armed with spears and arrows, chattering and grimacing
with delight at the warlike array. The long quiet stretches of river
gave way to swifter water, and progress was slower and more dogged. The
Balesuna grew shallow as well, and oftener were the loaded boats bumped
along and half-lifted over the bottom. In places timber-falls blocked
the passage of the narrow stream, and the boats and canoes were portaged
around. Night brought them to Carli, and they had the satisfaction of
knowing that they had accomplished in one day what had required two days
for