untry by night. You
see how it is:--if you come along with me, all will be well; if you do not,
depend upon it neither of you will ever escape."

"There is no help for it," said Toby, at last, with a heavy heart, "I will
have to trust you"; and he came out from the shadow of the little shrine,
and cast a long look up the valley.

"Now keep close to my side," said the sailor, "and let us be moving
quickly." Tinor and Fayaway here appeared; the kind-hearted old woman
embracing Toby's knees, and giving way to a flood of tears; while Fayaway,
hardly less moved, spoke some few words of English she had learned, and
held up three fingers before him--in so many days he would return.

At last Jimmy pulled Toby out of the crowd, and after calling to a young
Typee who was standing by with a young pig in his arms, all three started
for the mountains.

"I have told them that you are coming back again," said the old fellow,
laughing, as they began the ascent, "but they'll have to wait a long
time." Toby turned, and saw the natives all in motion--the girls waving
their tappas in adieu, and the men their spears. As the last figure
entered the grove with one arm raised, and the three fingers spread, his
heart smote him.

As the natives had at last consented to his going, it might have been,
that some of them, at least, really counted upon his speedy return;
probably supposing, as indeed he had told them when they were coming down
the valley, that his only object in leaving them was to procure the
medicines I needed. This, Jimmy also must have told them. And as they had
done before, when my comrade, to oblige me, started on his perilous
journey to Nukuheva, they looked upon me, in his absence, as one of two
inseparable friends who was a sure guarantee for the other's return. This
is only my own supposition, however, for as to all their strange conduct,
it is still a mystery.

"You see what sort of a taboo man I am," said the sailor, after for some
time silently following the path which led up the mountain. "Mow-Mow made
me a present of this pig here, and the man who carries it will go right
through Happar, and down into Nukuheva with us. So long as he stays by me
he is safe, and just so it will be with you, and to-morrow with Tommo.
Cheer up, then, and rely upon me, you will see him in the morning."

The ascent of the mountain was not very difficult, owing to its being near
to the sea, where the island ridges are comparatively low