into the cavity and felt around to see if the precious
pearls were still there. In a moment his fingers
touched the silken bag and, without pausing to close
the recess, he pressed the treasure against his breast
and ran out into the moonlight to examine it. When he
reached a bright place he started to open the bag, but
he observed Bilbil lying asleep upon the grass near by.
So, trembling with the fear of discovery, he ran to
another place, and when he paused he heard Rinkitink
snoring lustily. Again he fled and made his way to the
seashore, where he squatted under a bank and began to
untie the cords that fastened the mouth of the bag. But
now another fear assailed him.

"If the pearls should slip from my hand," he thought,
"and roll into the water, they might be lost to me
forever. I must find some safer place."

Here and there he wandered, still clasping the silken
bag in both hands, and finally he went to the grove and
climbed into the tall tree where he had made his
platform and seat. But here it was pitch dark, so he
found he must wait patiently until morning before he
dared touch the pearls. During those hours of waiting
he had time for reflection and reproached himself for
being so frightened by the possession of his father's
treasures.

"These pearls have belonged to our family for
generations," he mused, "yet no one has ever lost them.