ed 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
noble 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