CHAPTER XII.
A POINT OF THEOLOGY.
At last, with great difficulty, Felix managed to secure a certain momentary lull of silence.

The natives, clustering round the line till they almost touched it, listened with scowling brows, and brandished threatening spears, tipped with points of stone or shark's teeth or turtle-bone, while he made his speech to them.

From time to time, one or another interrupted him, coaxing and wheedling him, as it were, to cross the line; but Felix never heeded them.

He was beginning to understand now how to treat this strange people.

He took no notice of their threats or their entreaties either.
By and by, partly by words and partly by gestures, he made them understand that they might take back and keep for themselves all the cocoanuts and bread-fruits they had brought as windfalls.