She smiled, and George, abashed for the moment, went up to her, and she did not at all shrink from him. Now that he had made the advance he was at a loss what to do. The only thing that both perfectly understood, was to smile, and smile they did.
But why not say something. He tried it, and those great eyes appeared to open still wider. George turned and waved his hand, and affrighted, apparently, she darted into the side entrance. The darkness prevented him from seeing what was there, and he dared not enter. The moon was shining brightly.
The desire to escape again took possession of him. But why try to escape? He felt sure the Chief meant no harm, and then he wandered to the other side of the building, and there lay the great ocean, the shore of which was not a thousand feet away.
He sat down on a log, and pondered and, feeling fatigued from the unusual efforts of the day, he lay down for a nap. How long he remained there it was impossible to tell, for when he awoke, he found himself by the side of the trunk, and near him two of the body guard who accompanied the Chief the day before.
He sat up, rubbed his eyes, arose, and without any suggestion or command on the part of the watchers, marched back to the Chief's palace, and entered the[p. 119] room to see the latter awake and reclining at his place on the floor.
He offered a salutation to George, and the latter smiled and bowed graciously. One of the attendants touched him on the arm, and he was led to a room, adjoining the court; but there was no door, by means of which he could close the room, nor did he discover a window, or anything suggesting an opening at the other side of the apartment.
A delightful odor came from some kind of grass which was piled in one corner. He examined it, and concluded that it had been placed there for his particular benefit. This was indeed a thoughtful thing on the Chief's part. They were making a home for him, that was evident.
But he was too tired to reflect long on these things. Without removing his clothes he threw himself down on the sweet, clean grass, and he knew no more until, when the morning sun flooded the court, he could peer out, and see the family moving to and fro, but the Chief was nowhere in sight.
While they had not ventured to tell him what was just the correct thing to do, he walked out, and then wandered to the open portal at the front. No one seemed to heed him. He walked down toward the ocean, and saw some women carrying water in curiously-shaped gourds.
He followed the path, which led to a spring; delicious, cool and refreshing. Then he bathed his face, and washed his hands. But he missed the soap. He had not, however, forgotten the early days on[p. 120] Wonder Island, when the Professor found the soap tree.