ciously permitted him to retain and
wear, Jarwin looked out at the door of his hut and became aware of the
fact that the whole tribe was assembled in the spot where national
"palavers" were wont to be held. The "House" appeared to be engaged at
the time in the discussion of some exceedingly knotty question--a sort
of national education bill, or church endowment scheme--for there was
great excitement, much gesticulation, and very loud talk, accompanied
with not a little angry demonstration on the part of the disputants.

"Hallo! wot's up?" inquired Jarwin of a stout savage who stood at his
door armed with a club, on the head of which human teeth formed a
conspicuous ornament.

"Palaver," replied the savage.

"It's easy to hear and see that," replied Jarwin, "but wot is it all
about?"

The savage vouchsafed no farther reply, but continued to march up and
down in front of the hut.

Jarwin, therefore, essayed to quit his abode, but was stopped by the
taciturn savage, who said that he must consider himself a prisoner until
the palaver had come to an end. He was therefore fain to content
himself with standing at his door and watching the gesticulations of the
members of council.

Big Chief was there of course, and appeared to take a prominent part in
the proceedings. But there were other chiefs of the tribe whose
opinions had much weight, though they were inferior to him in position.
At last they appeared to agree, and finally, with a loud shout, the
whole band rushed off in the direction of the temple where their idols
were kept.

Jarwin's guard had manifested intense excitement during the closing
scene, and when this last act took place he threw down his club, forsook
his post, and followed his comrades. Of course Jarwin availed himself
of the opportunity, and went to see what was being done.

To his great surprise he found that the temple was being dismantled,
while the idols were carried down to the palaver-ground, if we may so
call it, and thrown into a heap there with marks of indignity and
contempt.

Knowing, as he did, the superstitious reverence with which the natives
regarded their idols, Jarwin beheld this state of things with intense
amazement, and he looked on with increasing interest, hoping, ere long,
to discover some clue to the mystery, but his hopes were disappointed,
for Big Chief caught sight of him and sternly ordered him back to his
hut, where another guard was placed over him. This guar