Buthewasrefused；theyouthroguishlytellinghim，thattheweaponwasverygoodforhimtheTypee，butthatawhitemancouldfightmuchbetterwithhisfists。
　　Themerryhumourofthisyoungwagseemedtobesharedbytherest，forinspiteoftheirwarlikecriesandgestures，everybodywascaperingaboutandlaughing，asifitwasoneofthefunniestthingsintheworldtobeawaitingtheflightofascoreortwoofHapparjavelinsfromanambushinthethickets。
　　Whilemycomradewasinvaintryingtomakeoutthemeaningofallthis，agoodnumberofthenativesseparatedthemselvesfromtherestandranoffintothegroveononeside，theothersnowkeepingperfectlystill，asifawaitingtheresult。Afteralittlewhile，however，Mow-Mow，whostoodinadvance，motionedthemtocomeonstealthily，whichtheydid，scarcelyrustlingaleaf。Thustheycreptalongfortenorfifteenminutes，everynowandthenpausingtolisten。
　　Tobybynomeansrelishedthissortofskulking；iftherewasgoingtobeafighthewantedittobeginatonce。Butallingoodtime，-forjustthen，astheywentprowlingintothethickestofthewood，terrifichowlsburstuponthemonallsides，andvolleysofdartsandstonesflewacrossthepath。Notanenemywastobeseen，andwhatwasstillmoresurprising，notasinglemandropped，thoughthepebblesfellamongtheleaveslikehail。
　　Therewasamoment’spause，whentheTypees，withwildshrieks，flungthemselvesintothecovert，spearinhand；norwasTobybehindhand。Comingsoneargettinghisskullbrokenbythestones，andanimatedbyanoldgrudgeheboretheHappars，hewasamongthefirsttodashatthem。Ashebrokehiswaythroughtheunderbrush，trying，ashedidso，towrestaspearfromayoungchief，theshoutsofbattleallofasuddenceased，andthewoodwasasstillasdeath。Thenextmoment，thepartywhohadleftthemsomysteriouslyrushedoutfrombehindeverybushandtree，andunitedwiththerestinlongandmerrypealsoflaughter。
　　Itwasallasham，andToby，whowasquiteoutofbreathwithexcitement，wasmuchincensedatbeingmadeafoolof。
　　Itafterwardsturnedoutthatthewholeaffairhadbeenconcertedforhisparticularbenefit，thoughwithwhatpreciseviewitwouldbehardtotell。Mycomradewasthemoreenragedatthisboys’
　　play，sinceithadconsumedsomuchtime，everymomentofwhichmightbeprecious。Perhaps，however，itwaspartlyintendedforthisverypurpose；andhewasledtothinkso，because，whenthenativesstartedagain，heobservedthattheydidnotseemtobeinsogreatahurryasbefore。Atlast，aftertheyhadgonesomedistance，Toby，thinkingallthewhilethattheyneverwouldgettothesea，twomencamerunningtowardsthem，andaregularhaltensued，followedbyanoisydiscussion，duringwhichToby’snamewasoftenrepeated。Allthismadehimmoreandmoreanxioustolearnwhatwasgoingonatthebeach；butitwasinvainthathenowtriedtopushforward；thenativesheldhimback。
　　Inafewmomentstheconferenceended，andmanyofthemrandownthepathinthedirectionofthewater，therestsurroundingToby，andentreatinghimto“Moee，“orsitdownandresthimself。Asanadditionalinducement，severalcalabashesoffood，whichhadbeenbroughtalong，werenowplacedontheground，andopened，andpipesalsowerelighted。Tobybridledhisimpatienceawhile，butatlastsprangtohisfeetanddashedforwardagain。Hewassoonovertakennevertheless，andagainsurrounded，butwithoutfurtherdetentionwasthenpermittedtogodowntothesea。
　　Theycameoutuponabrightgreenspacebetweenthegrovesandthewater，andcloseundertheshadowoftheHapparmountain，whereapathwasseen，windingoutofsightthroughagorge。
　　Nosignofaboat，however，wasbeheld；nothingbutatumultuouscrowdofmenandwomen，andsomeoneintheirmidst，earnestlytalkingtothem。Asmycomradeadvanced，thispersoncameforward，andprovedtobenostranger。Hewasanoldgrizzledsailor，whomTobyandmyselfhadfrequentlyseeninNukuheva，wherehelivedaneasy，devil-may-carelife，inthehouseholdofMowannatheking，goingbythenameof“Jimmy。“Infact，hewastheroyalfavourite，andhadagooddealtosayinhismaster’scouncils。HeworeaManillahat，andasortoftappamorninggown，sufficientlylooseandnegligenttoshowtheverseofasongtattooeduponhischest，andavarietyofspiritedcutsbynativeartistsinotherpartsofhisbody。Hesportedafishing-rodinhishand，andcarriedasootyoldpipeslungabouthisneck。
　　Thisoldroverhavingretiredfromactivelife，hadresidedinNukuhevasometime-hecouldspeakthelanguage，andforthatreasonwasfrequentlyemployedbytheFrenchasaninterpreter。Hewasanarrantoldgossip，too；forevercomingoffinhiscanoetotheshipsinthebay，andregalingtheircrewswithchoicelittlemorselsofcourtscandal-such，forinstance，asashamefulintrigueofhismajestywithaHappardamsel，apublicdanceratthefeasts-
　　andotherwiserelatingsomeincredibletalesabouttheMarquesasgenerally。Iremember，inparticular，histellingtheDolly’screwwhatprovedtobeliterallyacock-and-bullstory，abouttwonaturalprodigies，whichhesaidwerethenontheisland。Onewasanoldmonsterofahermit，havingamarvellousreputationforsanctity，andreputedafamoussorcerer，wholivedawayoffinadenamongthemountains，wherehehidfromtheworldagreatpairofhornsthatgrewoutofhistemples。Notwithstandinghisreputationforpiety，thishorridoldfellowwastheterrorofalltheislandround，beingreportedtocomeoutfromhisretreat，andgoaman-huntingeverydarknight。SomeanonymousPaulPry，too，comingdownthemountain，oncegotapeepathisden，andfounditfullofbones。Inshort，hewasamostunheard-ofmonster。
　　TheotherprodigyJimmytoldusabout，wastheyoungersonofachief，who，althoughbutjustturnedoften，hadentereduponholyorders，becausehissuperstitiouscountrymenthoughthimespeciallyintendedforthepriesthood，fromthefactofhishavingacombonhisheadlikearooster。Butthiswasnotall:for，stillmorewonderfultorelate，theboypridedhimselfuponthisstrangecrest，beingactuallyendowedwithacock’svoice，andfrequentlycrowingoverhispeculiarity。
　　ButtoreturntoToby。Themomenthesawtheoldroveronthebeach，heranuptohim，thenativesfollowingafter，andformingacircleroundthem。
　　Afterwelcominghimtotheshore，Jimmywentontotellhimhowthatheknewallaboutourhavingrunawayfromtheship，andbeingamongtheTypees；indeed，hehadbeenurgedbyMowannatocomeovertothevalley，and，aftervisitinghisfriendsthere，tobringusbackwithhim，hisroyalmasterbeingexceedinglyanxioustosharewithhimtherewardwhichhadbeenheldoutforourcapture。He，however，assuredTobythathehadindignantlyspurnedtheoffer。
　　Allthisastonishedmycomradenotalittle，asneitherofushadentertainedtheleastideathatanywhitemanevervisitedtheTypeessociably。ButJimmytoldhimthatsuchwasthecase，nevertheless，althoughheseldomcameintothebay，andscarcelyeverwentbackfromthebeach。Oneofthepriestsofthevalley，insomewayorotherconnectedwithanoldtattooeddivineinNukuheva，wasafriendofhis，andthroughhimhewas“taboo。“
　　Hesaid，moreover，thathewassometimesemployedtocomeroundtothebay，andengagefruitforshipslyinginNukuheva。Infact，hewasnowonthatveryerrand，accordingtohisownaccount，havingjustcomeacrossthemountainsbythewayofHappar。Bynoonofthenextday，thefruitwouldbeheapedupinstacksonthebeach，inreadinessfortheboats，whichhethenintendedtobringintothebay。
　　JimmynowaskedTobywhetherhewishedtoleavetheisland-ifhedid，therewasashipinwantofmen，lyingintheotherharbour，andhewouldbegladtotakehimover，andseehimonboardthatveryday。
　　“No，“saidToby；“Icannotleavetheisland，unlessmycomradegoeswithme。Ilefthimupthevalleybecausetheywouldnotlethimcomedown。Letusgonowandfetchhim。“
　　“Buthowishetocrossthemountainwithus，“repliedJimmy，“evenifwegethimdowntothebeach？Betterlethimstaytillto-morrow，andIwillbringhimroundtoNukuhevaintheboats。“
　　“Thatwillneverdo，“saidToby；“butcomealongwithmenow，andletusgethimdownhereatanyrate“；andyieldingtotheimpulseofthemoment，hestartedtohurrybackintothevalley。Buthardlywashisbackturned，whenadozenhandswerelaidonhim，andhelearnedthathecouldnotgoastepfarther。
　　Itwasinvainthathefoughtwiththem；theywouldnothearofhisstirringfromthebeach。Cuttotheheartatthisunexpectedrepulse，Tobynowconjuredthesailortogoaftermealone。ButJimmyreplied，thatinthemoodtheTypeesthenwere，theywouldnotpermithimsotodo，though，atthesametime，hewasnotafraidoftheirofferinghimanyharm。
　　LittledidTobythenthink，asheafterwardshadgoodreasontosuspect，thatthisveryJimmywasaheartlessvillain，who，byhisarts，hadjustincitedthenativestorestrainhim，ashewasintheactofgoingafterme。Wellmusttheoldsailorhaveknown，too，thatthenativeswouldneverconsenttoourleavingtogether；andhethereforewantedtogetTobyoffalone，forapurposewhichheafterwardsmadeplain。Ofallthis，however，mycomradenowknewnothing。
　　Hewasstillstrugglingwiththeislanders，whenJimmyagaincameuptohim，andwarnedhimagainstirritatingthem，sayingthathewasonlymakingmattersworseforbothofus，andiftheybecameenraged，therewasnotellingwhatmighthappen。AtlasthemadeTobysitdownonabrokencanoe，byapileofstones，uponwhichwasaruinouslittleshrine，supportedbyfouruprightpaddles，andinfrontpartlyscreenedbyanet。Thefishingpartiesmetthere，whentheycameinfromthesea，fortheirofferingswerelaidbeforeanimage，uponasmoothblackstonewithin。Thisspot，Jimmysaid，wasstrictly“taboo，“andnoonewouldmolestorcomenearhimwhilehestayedbyitsshadow。Theoldsailorthenwentoff，andbeganspeakingveryearnestlytoMow-Mowandsomeotherchiefs，whilealltherestformedacircleroundthetabooplace，lookingintentlyatToby，andtalkingtoeachotherwithoutceasing。
　　Now，notwithstandingwhatJimmyhadjusttoldhim，therepresentlycameuptomycomradeanoldwoman，whoseatedherselfbesidehimonthecanoe。
　　“TypeeMortarkee？“saidshe。“Mortarkeemuee，“saidToby。
　　ShethenaskedhimwhetherhewasgoingtoNukuheva；henoddedyes；andwithaplaintivewail，andhereyesfillingwithtears，sheroseandlefthim。
　　Thisoldwoman，thesailorafterwardssaid，wasthewifeofanagedkingofasmallinlandvalley，communicatingbyadeeppasswiththecountryoftheTypees。Theinmatesofthetwovalleyswererelatedtoeachotherbyblood，andwereknownbythesamename。TheoldwomanhadgonedownintotheTypeevalleythedaybefore，andwasnow，withthreechiefs，hersons，onavisittoherkinsmen。
　　Astheoldking’swifelefthim，JimmyagaincameuptoToby，andtoldhimthathehadjusttalkedthewholematteroverwiththenatives，andtherewasonlyonecourseforhimtofollow。Theywouldnotallowhimtogobackintothevalley，andharmwouldcertainlycometobothhimandme，ifheremainedmuchlongeronthebeach。