下载辰思小说免费APP
Thenhestrucklightlyonthebrimofmystrawhat；andthisblowhecontinuedtorepeatatintervals，sometimesbrushinginsteadmyarmandshoulder。Ihavehadpeopletrytomesmerisemeadozentimes，andneverwiththeleastresult。Butatthefirsttap-onaquarternomorevitalthanmyhat-brim，andfromnothingmorevirtuousthanaswitchofpalmwieldedbyamanIcouldnotevensee-sleeprusheduponmelikeanarmedman。Mysinewsfainted，myeyesclosed，mybrainhummed，withdrowsiness。Iresisted，atfirstinstinctively，thenwithacertainflurryofdespair，intheendsuccessfully；ifthatwereindeedsuccesswhichenabledmetoscrambletomyfeet，tostumblehomesomnambulous，tocastmyselfatonceuponmybed，andsinkatonceintoadreamlessstupor。
WhenIawokemycoldwasgone。SoIleaveamatterthatIdonotunderstand。
Meanwhilemyappetiteforcuriosities(notusuallyverykeen)hadbeenstrangelywhettedbythesacredboxes。Theywereofpandanuswood，oblonginshape，withaneffectofpillaringalongthesideslikestrawwork，lightlyfringedwithhairorfibreandstandingonfourlegs。Theoutsidewasneatasatoy；theinsideamysteryI
wasresolvedtopenetrate。Buttherewasalioninthepath。I
mightnotapproachTerutak’，sinceIhadpromisedtobuynothingintheisland；Idarednothaverecoursetotheking，forIhadalreadyreceivedfromhimmoregiftsthanIknewhowtorepay。Inthisdilemma(theschoonerbeingatlastreturned)wehitonadevice。CaptainReidcameforwardinmystead，professedanunbridledpassionfortheboxes，andaskedandobtainedleavetobargainforthemwiththewizard。ThatsameafternoonthecaptainandImadehastetotheinfirmary，enteredtheenclosure，raisedthemat，andhadbeguntoexaminetheboxesatourleisure，whenTerutak’swifebouncedoutofoneofthenighhouses，felluponus，sweptupthetreasures，andwasgone。Therewasneveramoreabsolutesurprise。Shecame，shetook，shevanished，wehadnotaguesswhither；andweremained，withfoolishlooksandlaughterontheemptyfield。Suchwasthefitprologueofourmemorablebargaining。
PresentlyTerutak’came，bringingTamaitialongwithhim，bothsmiling；andwefoursquattedwithouttherail。Inthethreemaniap’softheinfirmaryacertainaudiencewasgathered：thefamilyofasickchildundertreatment，theking’ssisterplayingcards，aprettygirl，whosworeIwastheimageofherfather；inallperhapsascore。Terutak’swifehadreturned(evenasshehadvanished)unseen，andnowsat，breathlessandwatchful，byherhusband’sside。Perhapssomerumourofourquesthadgoneabroad，orperhapswehadgiventhealertbyourunseemlyfreedom：
certain，atleast，thatinthefacesofallpresent，expectationandalarmweremingled。
CaptainReidannounced，withoutprefaceordisguise，thatIwascometopurchase；Terutak’，withsuddengravity，refusedtosell。
Hewaspressed；hepersisted。Itwasexplainedweonlywantedone：
nomatter，twowerenecessaryforthehealingofthesick。Hewasrallied，hewasreasonedwith：invain。Hesatthere，seriousandstill，andrefused。Allthiswasonlyapreliminaryskirmish；
hithertonosumofmoneyhadbeenmentioned；butnowthecaptainbroughthisgreatgunstobear。Henamedapound，thentwo，thenthree。Outofthemaniap’sonepersonafteranothercametojointhegroup，somewithmereexcitement，otherswithconsternationintheirfaces。Theprettygirlcrepttomyside；itwasthenthat-
surelywiththemostartlessflattery-sheinformedmeofmylikenesstoherfather。Tamaititheinfidelsatwithhangingheadandeverymarkofdejection。Terutak’streamedwithsweat，hiseyewasglazed，
