thin and red; his eyes were deep sunken, and glowed like coals; a long moustache slightly hid the sardonic expression of his mouth; and his chin was cocked out with that supercilious and authoritative air that belongs to the inheritors of power. His frame was gigantic, but painfully thin. His arms were long and lean, and terminated in hands, the fingers of which resembled the talons of a dragon; while his legs presented the smallest pretension to calf, and his feet, like his hands, were highly suggestive of the pedal belongings of some scaly and unpleasant creature. Add to this, that this singular being rejoiced in a tail which he , carried gracefully over his left knee, and some idea may be formed of the character of the visitor who had interrupted the chief's repose. But the stout old chief, though astonished, was not appalled. He gazed fixedly at the stranger, and took mental note of every particular of his personal appearance. Indeed, a sense of amusement was the principal feeling by which he was prompted. "I wonder," thought he, "if he ever cuts his toenails;" and as this idea suggested itself, the hearty old warrior burst out laughing. At this, the stranger looked up and nodded. "How d'ye do, Chief?" said he, "You've been snoring a hurricane, old boy. Had a good dinner, eh?" and the speaker thrust one foot into the fire, and kept it there. "Cold night," he continued; "nothing like a good fire, Kai Tamaru. You should see my fires--should see! you SHALL see them-and feel them too, eh-ha! ha! Feel them-eh, old boy-feel them-ha! ha! ha!" And here, poising gracefully upon one foot-which he still kept in the fire-the audacious stranger extended one long, lear arm, and poked the chief under what are called, by convivial anatomists, the "short ribs."

To be thus familiarly treated after a hearty meal, is calculated not only to offend one's sense of one's dignity, but to seriously interfere with one's wind. Kai Tamaru was awfully indignant. Paralysed with rage for the moment, he sat glaring at the stranger; who returned his look with a sinister smile, and proceeded to rake the embers of the fire together with his long and attenuated fingers. This done, he thrust the end of his tail into the fire, and rubbing his hands cheerily, chuckled aloud.

"Now," said he, again nodding to the amazed chief, "this is comfortable. We shall be able to converse cosily. How do you feel, Kai Tamaru, and where is my baby?"

"Baby?" gasped the chief.

"Yes, baby," repeated the other, playfully filling his hands with red-hot embers, "Paketoi's little one, you know. What have you done with it? I've just called over for my supper, you know;" and here the gentleman laughed, as though he had given utterance to an excellent joke.

The chief slowly rose to his feet: his right hand grasping his trusty tomahawk. The stranger sat unmoved, gazing meditatively into the fire.

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“It was a dirty trick, Kai Tamaru," said he ; dirty trick to play upon me ; but I forgive you. Only you must provide me with my due. I don't grudge you the meal, Old Blood-and-Bones, but I'm not going to be done out of mine. So, when you're ready, let me have a fine fat youngster, such as you've just made so hearty a repast from. Egad, you're a knowing fellow; but you can't get over me-ho! ho! You can't get over me, old chap," and here again the stranger laughed; and, leaning over, thrust his long nose into the fiercest flames of the fire.

"The cold nips one's features terribly," the stranger proceeded. "Really, Kai Tamaru, I'm a good-natured fellow to put up with all this inconvenience. Confess it now; am I not a good-natured fellow?" and he withdrew his nose from the fire, and bent his bright eyes upon the chief.

To do Kai Tamaru justice, he felt no fear; no such craven feeling could enter his sturdy heart. His had been no vain boast when he declared that he feared neither man nor devil; and now, his first surprise over, the old chief's fierce soul burned with indignation and resentment.

"Confound your impudence," he cried; "I'll teach you to intrude upon a gentleman's privacy. Take that," and he hurled stranger. It passed clean

his tomahawk at the head of the through him—the chief marked this and stuck in the door of the warri; where it shivered, as an arrow shivers when it strikes the target.

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The stranger smiled; and leaning backwards, withdrew the hatchet from the wood, and handing it across to the chief, remarked, An excellent shot, Kai Tamaru; try again. I assure you that you won't give me a headache. Try again, old boy." But the chief shrank back, and sitting down on his couch, watched the stranger gloomily, and without uttering a word. The latter smiled again.

"You see, my dear Chief," said he, "that sort of thing is all very well for such fellows as yourself; but I'm made of different metal. I don't blame you for doing your best, not I. I rather like your spirit. But, seriously, if you want to get rid of me, you must provide me with my supper."

"I've eaten it," said the chief, sullenly.

"Oh, I know," answered the other, coolly flicking away a cinder from his shin; "I know you've eaten one supper. But there's no scarcity of toothsome youngsters in the settlement, my friend. I often watch the young rascals as they play on the sands. I love innocent childhood, ha ha! Unsophisticated tenderness, eh?-ha! ha! Now I am not particular so long as you pick me out a fat one. Thank goodness, nobody can say I'm an epicure. But I detest lean meat-pah!" and the old gentleman spat emphatically into the fire. The chief answered never a word, but sat sullenly glaring at the stranger.

"If I am not mistaken," the latter resumed-now speaking as though in a reverie: for he stirred the embers with his caudal appendage in an absent manner— "it I am not mistaken, Paketoi has another little one: a youngster of some five years of age, plump, well nourished, juicy-ha!-yes!-hum! Is it not so, Kai Tamaru?"

"Well, simply this, old boy, I'll have him."

"I'll be damned if you do!" roared the chief, angrily.
"You'll be damned if I don't," said the stranger.

"You'll

be damned if I don't; and that's all about it. Come, now, you've tried my patience to the utmost. Now, see here: I'm a kindly fellow if I'm treated well; and though you've been very rude, I'll forgive you on these conditions:-I'll give you until

to-morrow night, and go without my supper to-night. But remember when I return to-morrow evening, you must be prepared with Paketoi's youngster."

"Well—what if I am not prepared," cried the chief haughtily. "Then you'll have to come yourself, my dear Kai Tamaru. I've got a nice corner over yonder for you, warm and cozy. Still, as you may prefer to remain where you are, I give you the alternative. And now, my dear, dear friend, good night."

With that, the stranger whisked his tail in the chief's face, winked wickedly at him with one of his red eyes, struck him a smart blow on his stomach, and disappeared through the closed door. The chief stood a second or two gasping for breath and with rage; and then, quickly unbarring the door, rushed out. The moon was high above the lake, and cast a soft gleam over the whole surface of its waters; and Kai Tamaru could plainly see the stranger, his tail carried under his left arm, leisurely and gracefully striding across. At every step he took, the water sputtered aud fizzed, as though it had suddenly come in contact with some red-hot substance; and a mist, such as arises from such contact, enveloped his huge form. As Kai Tamaru gazed, with mingled awe and passion, the object of his attention arrived at the opposite side of the lake, and, pausing, turned his face towards the chief-who could not forbear a menacing gesture. The stranger, however, merely smiled; and, elevating the tip of his tail until it touched his nose, winked a most insulting wink at the old warrior, and dropped quietly into the volcano. The chief, with a smothered yell, rushed into his warri, and, throwing himself, face downwards, upon his couch, remained there until the day broke.

If Kai Tamaru's temper had been irritable before his sacrificial repast, it was ten times worse the day following. The old woman who timidly placed a net of roasted potatoes on the floor for his breakfast, set it about that the chief was in a terrible humour; and many, wise and experienced in over-gorging, put this down to indigestion. Paketoi, with a woman's and a mother's inconsistency, could not help feeling a kind of satisfaction that her baby had disagreed with the old chief; even though she fully recognised

the service he had rendered her by partaking of it. Women are contradictory creatures-whether tame or savage, white or copper-colour. But when Paketoi was suddenly summoned to attend Kai Tamaru, a quick fear fell cold upon her heart. With the mother's instinct, and a mother's prediliction, she divined that her infant had tasted good; and the fear came upon her that Kai Tamaru was overcome by a desire to keep up the sacrifice at the cost of her only remaining child. Sadly and fearfully she obeyed the summons. The chief was sitting by the fire, and he bade her close the door and squat on the mat opposite to him.

For some time he did not speak. He was evidently embarrassed, and Paketoi's fears became the better confirmed as she watched his changing and confused countenance. Her heart beat high-when, at last, Kai Tamaru lifted his blood-shot eyes to her face and addressed her.

Paketoi, little flower," said he, "is it many moons since your husband was killed?"

"Alas! yes," sighed the girl.

"Art happy, Paketoi, without a mate?"

"I was happy, Kai Tamaru,” she answered, "till I lost my treasure. Who sang so blithely as Paketoi; whose laugh was so loud; whose heart was so full of thankfulness? But woe is me ! the light of my life is gone." her hands, and cried bitterly. fidgetted with his hands, and shuffled with his feet, and pished and pshawed, and swore under his breath. At last he spoke again.

And here she bent her face in
The old chief was moved; he

“Listen,” said he, "I have long looked upon you with favour· I have seen that you are handsome, industrious, cheerful-in fact, I—that is—well, hang it, Paketoi, I love you. You shall be my wife."

The girl looked at Kai Tamaru, with amazement depicted in her pretty face. "Your wife, Kai Tamaru!" she cried.

"Yes," replied the chief. "It is true that there is some slight difference in our ages; but, my pretty one, what of that? I am hale and hearty. Look at my biceps-" and here he displayed to her his brawny arm. "Why, my dear Paketoi," he continued,