Marys {3} look see; bime bye, they like run away they think strong fella
too much, no run away. Billy, strong fella too much ten fella three
times."

The house-boy extended the whip to him, but Billy did not take it.
Sheldon waited quietly. The eyes of all the cannibals were fixed upon
him in doubt and fear and eagerness. It was the moment of test, whereby
the lone white man was to live or be lost.

"Ten fella three times, Billy," Sheldon said encouragingly, though there
was a certain metallic rasp in his voice.

Billy scowled, looked up and looked down, but did not move.

"Billy!"

Sheldon's voice exploded like a pistol shot. The savage started
physically. Grins overspread the grotesque features of the audience, and
there was a sound of tittering.

"S'pose you like too much lash that fella Arunga, you take him fella
Tulagi," Billy said. "One fella government agent make plenty lash. That
um fella law. Me savvee um fella law."

It was the law, and Sheldon knew it. But he wanted to live this day and
the next day and not to die waiting for the law to operate the next week
or the week after.

"Too much talk along you!" he cried angrily. "What name eh? What name?"