thought, "How warm it has
grown suddenly!" For it was winter in Hawaii, and the day had been
chill. And he thought also, "Where are the grey mountains? And where is
the high cliff with the hanging forest and the wheeling birds?" And the
more he considered, the less he might conceive in what quarter of the
islands he was fallen.

In the border of the grove, where it met the beach, the herb was
growing, but the tree farther back. Now, as Keola went toward the tree,
he was aware of a young woman who had nothing on her body but a belt of
leaves.

"Well!" thought Keola, "they are not very particular about their dress
in this part of the country." And he paused, supposing she would observe
him and escape; and, seeing that she still looked before her, stood and
hummed aloud. Up she leaped at the sound. Her face was ashen; she looked
this way and that, and her mouth gaped with the terror of her soul. But
it was a strange thing that her eyes did not rest upon Keola.

"Good-day," said he. "You need not be so frightened; I will not eat
you." And he had scarce opened his mouth before the young woman fled
into the bush.

"These are strange manners," thought Keola. And, not thinking what he
did, ran after her.

As she ran, the girl kept crying in some speech that was not practised
in Hawaii, yet some of the words were the same, and he knew she kept
calling and warning others. And presently he saw more people
running--men, women, and children, one with another, all running and
crying like people at a fire. And with that he began to grow afraid
himself, and returned to Kalamake, bringing the leaves. Him he told what
he had seen.

"You must pay no heed," said Kalamake. "All this is like a dream and
shadows. All will disappear and be forgotten."

"It seemed none saw me," said Keola.

"And none did," replied the sorcerer. "We walk here in the broad sun
invisible by reason of these charms. Yet they hear us; and therefore it
is well to speak softly, as I do."

With that he made a circle round the mat with stones, and in the midst
he set the leaves.

"It will be your part," said he, "to keep the leaves alight, and feed
the fire slowly. While they blaze (which is but for a little moment) I
must do my errand; and before the ashes blacken, the same power that
brought us carries us away. Be ready now with the match; and do you call
me in good time, lest the flames burn out and I be left."

As soon as the leaves caught, the sorcere