h
flapping sail, was upon as, and Manka was laughing loudly.

"Ho, ho!" he cried, pulling his long white moustache, "so this is the
way the wind bloweth! The old dotard Tamavili and I race together for a
bride, and the bride is for neither of us, but for the man who saved her
from the sea. Ha, ha! Thou art a fine fellow, Manaia, and I bear thee no
ill will, even though the girl hath my good golden money."

"Nay, Manka," cried Selema quickly, and taking something from her girdle
she held it up to the white man; "see, here is thy gift to the lady Sa
Luia. We meant to give it back to thee with all good will, for Sa Luia
loves no man but this her lover Manaia, who held her up from the angry
sea when her mother died. And so when Pule-o-Vaitafe took the money from
her--which was thy free gift--I waited till he slept, and stole the key
of his treasure-chest, and took the money so that it might be returned
to thee."

"Is this true?" asked the white man of Manaia. "The money is thine,"
said Manaia, who knew not what else to say, "but the woman is mine.
So let us depart, for Tamavili and his men--whom no one in Malifanua
thought to see for three days yet--are drawing near, and we may escape
by running the canoe through the surf, and taking to the mountains."

The white man swore an oath. "Thou art a fine fellow, and I bear no ill
will, but will help thee to outwit that old dodderer who tried to steal
away three days before me. I will put my boat between he and thee and
keep him off. Whither wouldst land?"

"Not here, unless we are pressed. But we are in bad case; for see, on
the one side comes Pule-o-Vaitafe, and on the other Tamavili. Yet if
thou wilt be the good friend to us, we may escape both, and keep on our
way to the open sea."

"The open sea!" cried Manka quickly--"and whither to?"

"To Uea."

"Thou art a bold fellow," said the white man again, "and shalt have the
girl, for thou art worthy of her. And she shall keep the money for her
dowry. I am no man to go back on my word, even though I lose so fair
a bride. As for Pule-o-Vaitafe, I care not a blade of grass, and for
Tamavili even less. And see, take this rifle, and if Tamavili cometh too
close to thee, how can I help thee defending thyself and the women?"

With that he gave Manaia one of six rifles in his boat and two score and
ten cartridges, some tobacco, matches, and a pipe; then he pressed our
hands and wished us God-speed, and we parted, he sailing towar