"Well,do you think it would better me to shoot you here,on this open beach?"said he."Because I don't.Folks come fishing every day.There may be a score of them up the valley now,making copra;there might be half a dozen on the hill behind you,after pigeons;they might be watching us this minute,and I shouldn't wonder.Igive you my word I don't want to shoot you.Why should I?You don't hinder me any.You haven't got one pound of copra but what you made with your own hands,like a negro slave.You're vegetating -that's what I call it -and I don't care where you vegetate,nor yet how long.Give me your word you don't mean to shoot me,and I'll give you a lead and walk away.""Well,"said I,"You're frank and pleasant,ain't you?And I'll be the same.I don't mean to shoot you to-day.Why should I?This business is beginning;it ain't done yet,Mr.Case.I've given you one turn already;I can see the marks of my knuckles on your head to this blooming hour,and I've more cooking for you.I'm not a paralee,like Underhill.My name ain't Adams,and it ain't Vigours;and I mean to show you that you've met your match.""This is a silly way to talk,"said he."This is not the talk to make me move on with.""All right,"said I,"stay where you are.I ain't in any hurry,and you know it.I can put in a day on this beach and never mind.
I ain't got any copra to bother with.I ain't got any luminous paint to see to."I was sorry I said that last,but it whipped out before I knew.Icould see it took the wind out of his sails,and he stood and stared at me with his brow drawn up.Then I suppose he made up his mind he must get to the bottom of this.
"I take you at your word,"says he,and turned his back,and walked right into the devil's bush.
I let him go,of course,for I had passed my word.But I watched him as long as he was in sight,and after he was gone lit out for cover as lively as you would want to see,and went the rest of the way home under the bush,for I didn't trust him sixpence-worth.
One thing I saw,I had been ass enough to give him warning,and that which I meant to do I must do at once.
You would think I had had about enough excitement for one morning,but there was another turn waiting me.As soon as I got far enough round the cape to see my house I made out there were strangers there;a little farther,and no doubt about it.There was a couple of armed sentinels squatting at my door.I could only suppose the trouble about Uma must have come to a head,and the station been seized.For aught I could think,Uma was taken up already,and these armed men were waiting to do the like with me.
However,as I came nearer,which I did at top speed,I saw there was a third native sitting on the verandah like a guest,and Uma was talking with him like a hostess.Nearer still I made out it was the big young chief,Maea,and that he was smiling away and smoking.And what was he smoking?None of your European cigarettes fit for a cat,not even the genuine big,knock-me-down native article that a fellow can really put in the time with if his pipe is broke -but a cigar,and one of my Mexicans at that,that Icould swear to.At sight of this my heart started beating,and Itook a wild hope in my head that the trouble was over,and Maea had come round.
Uma pointed me out to him as I came up,and he met me at the head of my own stairs like a thorough gentleman.
"Vilivili,"said he,which was the best they could make of my name,"I pleased."There is no doubt when an island chief wants to be civil he can do it.I saw the way things were from the word go.There was no call for Uma to say to me:"He no 'fraid Ese now,come bring copra."Itell you I shook hands with that Kanaka like as if he was the best white man in Europe.
The fact was,Case and he had got after the same girl;or Maea suspected it,and concluded to make hay of the trader on the chance.He had dressed himself up,got a couple of his retainers cleaned and armed to kind of make the thing more public,and,just waiting till Case was clear of the village,came round to put the whole of his business my way.He was rich as well as powerful.Isuppose that man was worth fifty thousand nuts per annum.I gave him the price of the beach and a quarter cent better,and as for credit,I would have advanced him the inside of the store and the fittings besides,I was so pleased to see him.I must say he bought like a gentleman:rice and tins and biscuits enough for a week's feast,and stuffs by the bolt.He was agreeable besides;he had plenty fun to him;and we cracked jests together,mostly through the interpreter,because he had mighty little English,and my native was still off colour.One thing I made out:he could never really have thought much harm of Uma;he could never have been really frightened,and must just have made believe from dodginess,and because he thought Case had a strong pull in the village and could help him on.
This set me thinking that both he and I were in a tightish place.
What he had done was to fly in the face of the whole village,and the thing might cost him his authority.More than that,after my talk with Case on the beach,I thought it might very well cost me my life.Case had as good as said he would pot me if ever I got any copra;he would come home to find the best business in the village had changed hands;and the best thing I thought I could do was to get in first with the potting.
"See here,Uma,"says I,"tell him I'm sorry I made him wait,but Iwas up looking at Case's Tiapolo store in the bush.""He want savvy if you no 'fraid?"translated Uma.
I laughed out."Not much!"says I."Tell him the place is a blooming toy-shop!Tell him in England we give these things to the kids to play with.""He want savvy if you hear devil sing?"she asked next.
"Look here,"I said,"I can't do it now because I've got no banjo-strings in stock;but the next time the ship comes round I'll have one of these same contraptions right here in my verandah,and he can see for himself how much devil there is to it.Tell him,as soon as I can get the strings I'll make one for his picaninnies.