doing here?"

"I am about to take a row on the lake, Chief," I answered
carelessly.

"Indeed, Friend. Have we then treated you so badly that you are
tired of life?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Come out into the sunlight, Friend, and I will explain to
you."

I hesitated till I saw Marama lifting the heavy wooden spear he
carried and remembered that I was unarmed. Then I came out.

"What does all this mean, Chief?" I asked angrily when we were
clear of the patch of cotton palm.

"I mean, Friend, that you have been very near to making a
longer journey than you thought. Have patience now and listen to
me. I saw you leaving the village this morning and followed,
suspecting your purpose. Yes, I followed alone, saying nothing to
the priests of Oro who fortunately were away watching the
Bellower for their own reasons. I saw you searching out the
secrets of the mountain with those magic tubes that make things
big that are small, and things that are far off come near, and I
followed you to the canoes."

"All that is plain enough, Marama. But why?"