Itsoundedverypeaceful，sweetandstrangeinthedark；andIfoundthiswasapartoftheroutineofmyrebel’snight，anditwasdonehesaidtogivegooddreams。Byalittlebeforesix，TaylorandIwereinthesaddleagainfasting。
MyridingbootsweresowetIcouldnotgetthemon，soI
mustridebarefoot。Themorningwasfairbuttheroadsverymuddy，theweedssoakedusnearlytothewaist，Salewastwicespiltatthefences，andwegottoApiaabedraggledenoughpair。Allthewayalongthecoast，thepatesmallwoodendrumwasbeatinginthevillagesandthepeoplecrowdingtothechurchesintheirfineclothes。Thencethroughthemangroveswamp，amongtheblackmudandthegreenmangroves，andtheblackandscarletcrabs，toMulinuu，tothedoctor’s，whereIhadanerrand，andsototheinntobreakfastaboutnine。AfterbreakfastIrodehome。Conceivesuchanouting，rememberthepallidbrutethatlivedinSkerryvorelikeaweevilinabiscuit，andreceivetheintelligencethatIwasratherthebetterformyjourney。
Twentymilesride，sixteenfencestaken，tenofthemilesinadrenchingrain，sevenofthemfastingandinthemorningchill，andsixstrickenhours’politicaldiscussionsbyaninterpreter；tosaynothingofsleepinginanativehouse，atwhichmanyofourexcellentliteratiwouldlookaskanceofitself。
Youaretounderstand:ifItakeallthisbother，itisnotonlyfromasenseofduty，oraloveofmeddling-damnthephrase，takeyourchoice-butfromagreataffectionforMataafa。Heisabeautiful，sweetoldfellow，andheandI