Thenhestrucklightlyonthebrimofmystrawhat；andthisblowhecontinuedtorepeatatintervals，sometimesbrushinginsteadmyarmandshoulder。Ihavehadpeopletrytomesmerisemeadozentimes，andneverwiththeleastresult。Butatthefirsttap-onaquarternomorevitalthanmyhat-brim，andfromnothingmorevirtuousthanaswitchofpalmwieldedbyamanIcouldnotevensee-sleeprusheduponmelikeanarmedman。Mysinewsfainted，myeyesclosed，mybrainhummed，withdrowsiness。Iresisted，atfirstinstinctively，thenwithacertainflurryofdespair，intheendsuccessfully；ifthatwereindeedsuccesswhichenabledmetoscrambletomyfeet，tostumblehomesomnambulous，tocastmyselfatonceuponmybed，andsinkatonceintoadreamlessstupor。
WhenIawokemycoldwasgone。SoIleaveamatterthatIdonotunderstand。
Meanwhilemyappetiteforcuriositiesnotusuallyverykeenhadbeenstrangelywhettedbythesacredboxes。Theywereofpandanuswood，oblonginshape，withaneffectofpillaringalongthesideslikestrawwork，lightlyfringedwithhairorfibreandstandingonfourlegs。Theoutsidewasneatasatoy；theinsideamysteryI
wasresolvedtopenetrate。Buttherewasalioninthepath。I
mightnotapproachTerutak’，sinceIhadpromisedtobuynothingintheisland；Idarednothaverecoursetotheking，forIhadalreadyreceivedfromhimmoregiftsthanIknewhowtorepay。Inthisdilemmatheschoonerbeingatlastreturnedwehitonadevice。CaptainReidcameforwardinmystead，professedanunbridledpassionfortheboxes，andaskedandobtainedleavetobargainforthemwiththewizard。ThatsameafternoonthecaptainandImadehastetotheinfirmary，enteredtheenclosure，raisedthemat，andhadbeguntoexaminetheboxesatourleisure，whenTerutak’swifebouncedoutofoneofthenighhouses，felluponus，sweptupthetreasures，andwasgone。Therewasneveramoreabsolutesurprise。Shecame，shetook，shevanished，wehadnotaguesswhither；andweremained，withfoolishlooksandlaughterontheemptyfield。Suchwasthefitprologueofourmemorablebargaining。