An incident which occurred during the following week seemed to confirm that impression.
Ferlie never forgot that evening; the last which spelt peace for them for many a long day.
The children had built a camp-fire on the edge of the jungle; not for warmth, but because it was a good way to dry the wet things of juvenile adventurers who had been assisting at fish-spearing or canoe-racing throughout the day.
Mr. Toms and Friend-of-England would often join them in the murmuring twilight and the elder folk drew near also, when he and the old Nicobarese spun little stories and island legends for John's benefit.
The favourite, related again on this particular occasion, was the story of Shoan and the Mermaid.
It had, originally, been invented by the traveller, De Roepstoff, who knew that the cachelot lived in Nicobarese waters and that, according to the natives, the mermaid is the whale's daughter. De Roepstoff, re-visiting the islands years later, had the tale re-told him as one of their own.
Mr. Toms related it now in English, periodically assisted by Friend-of-England in Nicobarese.
"Come all Nicobarese and foreigners, old and young, men and women, boys and girls, youths and maidens, and listen to a story.
"There was formerly a man by the name of Arang, whose wife had borne (him) three sons and three daughters. He made himself a nice house and possessed much property. One day he went out on the sea with his eldest son, called Shoan, and wanted to fish with hook and line.
"Strong wind got up and heavy sea sprung up. Then it happened that one of the outriggers of the canoe broke and both sank into the sea.