Altogether the matter was perfectly incomprehensible to me, and I awaited its solution with no small degree of anxiety.
At length, from certain indications, I suspected that he was making me the subject of his remarks, although he appeared cautiously to avoid either pronouncing my name, or looking in the direction where I lay.

All at once he rose from the mats where he had been reclining, and, still conversing, moved towards me, his eye purposely evading mine, and seated himself within less than a yard of me.

I had hardly recovered from my surprise, when he suddenly turned round, and, with a most benignant countenance extended his right hand gracefully towards me.

Of course I accepted the courteous challenge, and, as soon as our palms met, he bent towards me, and murmured in musical accents--'How you do ?' 'How long you been in this bay ?' 'You like this bay ?' Had I been pierced simultaneously by three Happar spears, I could not have started more than I did at hearing these simple questions.

For a moment I was overwhelmed with astonishment, and then answered something I know not what; but as soon as I regained my self-possession, the thought darted through my mind that from this individual I might obtain that information regarding Toby which I suspected the natives had purposely withheld from me.