"This cannebalism an' polygamy an' the like greatly distresses me,
however," he confessed to Heller. "Be moments I'm timpted to unfold the
naked truth, an' bring these paple square up to the canons of the Church
at wanst. But it ud be risky. We read av times, ye know, Heller, that
God winked at. No doubt it's me duty, as a divinity, to go on winkin' at
these polygamies an' cannebalisms a bit longer. Slow an' aisy is me
motto, an' I've noticed it's the way of Providence mostly. Sure it was
so at home in Sableburg, ye know, Heller; we didn't average a convart in
twinty years."

Now ensued an event which troubled the holy Father more than any thing
that had yet occurred during his episcopate. Two German priests, Heller
informed him, had landed on one of the islands of the archipelago, and
were preaching the pure doctrines of the Christian faith, denouncing
cannibalism and polygamy, and otherwise sapping the established
religion.

"Some av the New Catholics, I'll warrant ye!" exclaimed Higgins,
indignantly. "Some of thim blatherskites av the Döllinger school, come
over here to stir up sedition in the Church, as though they hadn't made
worry enough in the owld counthries. An' what business has Dutchmen
here, annyway, whin an Irishman has begun the good worrk? They've no
right to take the labor of convartin' these haythins out of me hands
that a-way. Me conscience won't allow me to permit such distarbances an'
innovations. See if ye can't get um to lave the islands peaceable,
Heller. If they won't, I shall have to let Umbaho settle wid um afther
his fashion."

An embassy to the missionaries having obtained from them no other