ught out his home-made violin. This was the
occasion for another surprise. Red Angel was at the feet of George in an
instant. Tom could not keep his hands still, as he had also learned to
play the instrument, and ventured to suggest that he would like to
assist in building a bass viol, and not to be outdone Ralph offered to
construct a flute.

The violin that evening was another link in the chain which was to
eventually convert a savage into an instrument of untold value to the
people of that island. At first Chief could not understand it. He tried
to see where the wailing noise came from and pressed closer and closer
to George as he played. When George played another tune in quick time he
became animated, and slow, plaintive music seemed to subdue him.

"Do you know," said the Professor, "that what we call music does not
appear as such to savages. Noise and sound are not distinguished by
them. The beating of their crude tom toms is the only thing that appeals
to their ears. That is simply noise. Rhythm and time are recognized,
principally because all their music is associated by some act of
dancing."

"I have often wondered why it is that dancing is such a universal
custom?" ventured Tom.

"Among all ancient peoples it formed the integral part of religious
ceremonies, and is even to-day practiced by many of the eastern
Christians in that manner. It was the custom of the Jews from their
first historical account, as shown in the account given in Exodus, where
Miriam the prophetess, sister of Moses, took a timbrel in her hand and
went out with the other women with timbrels and dances. The Hebrews had
a regular chorus in the Temple, with dancing performers of women; and
the dance was adopted as a fitting close to the feast of the
Tabernacle, when the rulers of the synagogues, the doctors of the
schools, and even the members of the Sanhedrin, accompanied the sacred
music with their voices, and leaped and danced with torches in their
hands until morning."

"Do you think the savages even in these western islands use the dance as
a religious ceremony?"

"All tribes in the Island of the Pacific, and I might say, over the
entire world, associate these dances with religion, with war, and with
some festive commemoration of events. I dare say that you boys have
witnessed some of those rites."

Ralph responded to this: "We saw that happen on the occasion the victims
were sacrificed by the savages who captured us, as I relat