One of the attendants then came forward at the order of the Chief, who, after the articles were gathered up, indicated to George that he should follow, and turned toward the village. George did not regard the prerogatives of royalty, but he took up a most democratic position by the side of the Chief, to which the latter did not object.
It required nearly an hour before they reached the village. Women and children, and boys his own age were in evidence everywhere. They came out of the huts and followed the procession, on the way to the Chief's quarters.
Singularly George did not now feel the slightest bit of fear. On the other hand, there was confidence, a sort of assurance that he could not express. This feeling came to him, not so much from the general demeanor of the Chief, as on account of the one act, namely, the return to him of the revolver.
The Chief's home was an entirely different sort of affair from the other dwellings. It was noted that, the homes of the ordinary people were made singularly like those of the tribes on Wonder Island, usually of twigs braided and brought together at the upper end so as to form cone-like enclosures, and all were covered with clay, so as to keep out the rains.
Outside of these houses appeared to be the sleeping quarters, and a glance at some of them impressed George as being exceedingly filthy. The houses were intended only for the rainy season, apparently, as was the custom in many places on their own island.
But the Chief's dwelling was a most pretentious affair, judged by the surrounding homes. It had a large interior court, without a roof, but the immediate dwelling had four or more rooms. The Chief walked through one room, and entered the court, where George was embarrassed to see two girls, and several boys, together with three women, all of whom stared at him, the girls giggling exactly as he had seen them do at home.
The articles taken from him were then deposited upon the floor, and the Chief reclined on a sort of raised couch. George glanced around and the first thing that his eyes met was a chair, in one corner of the room, and then some articles that he knew could not have been made on the island.
This was his introduction to the home of the Chief. He then fell to wondering how it would be possible to talk and tell him about his friends.