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A voice a weak, trembling voice was singing the song of Talaloo. "Terunavahori, bending low, Bindeth the sandals on Talaloo's feet; 'Hasten, O hasten, lover true, O'er the coral, cruel and sharp, Over the coral, and sand, and rock, Snare thee a turtle for our marriage feast; IA AKOE! brave lover mine." "In the old MARAE, Paranili," said Rua Manu, pointing to the remains of a ruined temple.
Steadily the little hands worked in and out among the snowy strands, and now and then, as she came to the TARI, or refrain, of the old Paumotuan love-song, her soft liquid tones would blend with the quavering treble of children that played outside. "Terunavahori, teeth of pearl, Knit the sandals for Talaloo's feet, Sandals of AFA thick and strong, Bind them well with thy long black hair."
Menalee at once agreed to go to the fugitives, say he had stolen the puddings, and would be willing to share them. The two good puddings were to be given to Talaloo's wife and Timoa, the poisoned one to Talaloo himself. For further security Menalee was to carry a pistol with him, and use it if necessary. The assassin was not long in tracking out his countrymen. "You bring us food?" said Talaloo.
Presently, Talaloo's wife rose, and going into the woods, joined her husband. She found him in company with Timoa. "Is Talaloo become a dog that he should be driven to live in the bush?" demanded the man, with a stern air. "The white men are strong," answered his wife, with a subdued look; "the women can do nothing." "You can stay with me here in the bush if you will," said Talaloo.
One evening, while sitting in Christian's house, Talaloo's wife began to sing a sort of extempore song, the chorus to which was: "Why does black man sharpen axe? To kill white man." Hearing this, Christian, who was close at hand, entered the hut and demanded an explanation. On being informed of the plot of the Otaheitan men to murder all the whites, a dark frown overspread his face.
She had followed Talaloo's wife, saw what occurred, and carried back a report to the settlement. A council of war was at once held. "If we leave these men at liberty," said Williams, "we shall never again be able to go to rest in security." "Something must be done," said Christian, with the air of a man whose mind wanders far away from the subject in hand. "Kill them," suggested McCoy.
The coloured men made common cause of it, and from that time forward began to plot the destruction of their white masters. What made matters worse was that Talaloo's wife was not averse to the change, and from that time became a bitter enemy of her Otaheitan husband. It was owing to this wicked woman's preference for Williams that the plot was afterwards revealed.
One day Talaloo's wife went, with some of the other women, to the southern side of the island to fish from the rocks. They were soon busily at work. The lines used had been made by themselves from the fibrous husk of the cocoa-nut. The hooks had been brought on shore from the Bounty.
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