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           "Andyourcompanions?"saidKai-Koumou.

           "MycompanionsareEnglishlikemyself.Weareshipwreckedtravelers,butitmaybeimportanttostatethatwehavetakennopartinthewar."

           "Thatmatterslittle!"wasthebrutalanswerofKara-Tete."EveryEnglishmanisanenemy.Yourpeopleinvadedourisland!Theyrobbedourfields!theyburnedourvillages!"

           "Theywerewrong!"saidGlenarvan,quietly."Isayso,becauseIthinkit,notbecauseIaminyourpower."

           "Listen,"saidKai-Koumou,"theTohonga,thechiefpriestofNoui-Atouahasfallenintothehandsofyourbrethren;heisaprisoneramongthePakekas.Ourdeityhascommandedustoransomhim.Formyownpart,Iwouldratherhavetornoutyourheart,Iwouldhavestuckyourhead,andthoseofyourcompanions,onthepostsofthatpalisade.ButNoui-Atouahasspoken."

           Asheutteredthesewords,Kai-Koumou,whotillnowhadbeenquiteunmoved,trembledwithrage,andhisfeaturesexpressedintenseferocity.

           Thenafterafewminutes’intervalheproceededmorecalmly.

           "DoyouthinktheEnglishwillexchangeyouforourTohonga?"

           Glenarvanhesitated,allthewhilewatchingtheMaorichief.

           "Idonotknow,"saidhe,afteramomentofsilence.

           "Speak,"returnedKai-Koumou,"isyourlifeworththatofourTohonga?"

           "No,"repliedGlenarvan."Iamneitherachiefnorapriestamongmyownpeople."

           Paganel,petrifiedatthisreply,lookedatGlenarvaninamazement.Kai-Koumouappearedequallyastonished.

           "Youdoubtitthen?"saidhe.