an gayly
up the mainmast, and a boat seemed to drop down over the side of the
vessel.

As for the natives, they watched these proceedings with considerable
surprise and no little discomfiture--Fire and Water, in particular,
whispering together, much alarmed, with many superstitious nods and
taboos, in the corner of the enclosure.

Gradually, as the boat drew nearer and nearer, divided counsels prevailed
among the savages. With no certainly recognized Tu-Kila-Kila to marshal
their movements, each man stood in doubt from whom to take his orders. At
last, the King of Fire, in a hesitating voice, gave the word of command.
"Half the warriors to the shore to repel the enemy; half to watch round
the taboo-line, lest the Korongs escape us! Let Breathless Fear, our
war-god, go before the face of our troops, invisible!"

And, quick as thought, at his word, the warriors had paired off, two and
two, in long lines; some running hastily down to the beach, to man the
war-canoes, while others remained, with shark's tooth spears still set in
a looser circle, round the great temple-enclosure of Tu-Kila-Kila.

For Muriel, this suspense was positively terrible. To feel one was so
close to the hope of rescue, and yet to know that before that help
arrived, or even as it came up, those savages might any moment run their
ghastly spears through them.

But Felix made the best of his position still. "Remember," he cried, at
the top of his voice, as the warriors started at a run for the water's
edge, "your Tu-Kila-Kila tells you, these new-comers are his friends.
Whoever hurts them, does so at his peril. This is a great Taboo. I bid
you receive them. Beware for your lives. I, Tu-Kila-Kila the Great, have
said it."

CHAPTER XXXII.

THE DOWNFALL OF A PANTHEON.

The Australasian's gig entered the lagoon through the fringing reef by
its narrow seaward mouth, and rowed steadily for the landing place on the
main island.

A little way out from shore, amid loud screams and yells, the natives
came up with it in their laden war-canoes. Shouting and gesticulating and
brandishing their spears with the shark's tooth tips, they endeavored to
stop its progress landward by pure noise and bravado.

"We must be careful what we do, boys," the captain observed, in a quiet
voice of seamanlike resolution to his armed companions. "We mustn't
frighten the savages too much, or show too hostile a front, for fear they
should retaliate on our friends on