lower side of the island. Now, the question is, whether would it suit
your purposes best to land an armed party here, and cross over to the
villages, or to sail round the island, drop anchor in the most
convenient bay, and land a party there?"

Orlando, to whom this was more directly addressed, turned to the
missionary.

"What think you, Waroonga? You know native thought and feeling best."

"I would not land armed party at all," answered Waroonga. "But Cappin
Fitzgald know his own business most. What he thinks?"

"My business and yours are so mingled," returned the captain, "that I
look to you for advice. My chief duty is to obtain information as to
the whereabouts of the pirate vessel, and I expect that such information
will be got more readily through you, Waroonga, than any one else, for,
besides being able to speak the native language, you can probably
approach the savages more easily than I can."

"They are not savages," returned Waroonga quietly, "they are God's
ignorant children. I have seen worse men than South sea islanders with
white faces an' soft clothin' who had not the excuse of ignorance."

"Nay, my good sir," said the captain, "we will not quarrel about terms.
Whatever else these `ignorant children' may be, I know that they are
brave and warlike, and I shall gladly listen to your advice as to
landing."

"If you wish to go to them in peace, do not go to them with arms," said
Waroonga.

"Surely you would not advise me to send an unarmed party among armed
sav--children?" returned the captain, with a look of surprise, while
Orlando regarded his friend with mingled amusement and curiosity.

"No. You best send no party at all. Jis' go round the island, put down
angker, an' leave the rest to me."

"But what do you propose to do?" asked the captain.

"Swum to shore with Bibil."

Orlando laughed, for he now understood the missionary's plan, and in a
few words described the method by which Waroonga had subdued the natives
of Ratinga.

"You see, by this plan," he continued, "nothing is presented to the
natives which they will be tempted to steal, and if they are very
warlike or fierce, Waroonga's refusal to fight reduces them to a state
of quiet readiness to hear, which is all that we want. Waroonga's
tongue does the rest."

"With God's Holy Spirit and the Word," interposed the missionary.

"True, that is understood," said Orlando.

"That is not _always_ understood," returned Waroonga.