"O great Papaloi and you, gracious Mamanloi, the high priest and prince, surnamed Jo-nes, orders me to procure for him a glass of pure water from the holy spring."
The Mamanloi, whose affection for me had apparently increased so soon as she saw that I was an even greater man than the priest at her side, at once begged the guard to say that anything that we wished we had but to ask for. She begged him to hasten, as the ceremonies must be finished before morning cock crow. When she said those words the whole assemblage took up the words, "Cock crow!" "Cock crow!" and repeated them over and over again to the accompaniment of the drum. I have forgotten the words that they used, though I knew them at the time.
I spoke to the Minion hurriedly:
"You stole that ring from the Captain! Confess at once, that they may know that it is ours."
Our interpreter was near.
"If you want proof that the ring belongs to me," I said, "ask that young devil how he came possessed of it."
"Stole it!" said the Minion, evidently no more averse to living than the rest of us.
"From whom?" I demanded, with death in my eye.
The Minion nodded over my head toward the Skipper, and, with a comical glance of the eye at me, said, "Old man! Me father!"
Our guard then turned to the priest and priestess.