Telling Binu Charley to remove the ear-rings, and directing the Poonga-
Poonga men to carry out the old fire-tender, Sheldon cleared the devil-
devil house and set fire to it. Soon every house was blazing merrily,
while the ancient fire-tender sat upright in the sunshine blinking at the
destruction of his village. From the heights above, where were evidently
other villages, came the booming of drums and a wild blowing of
war-conchs; but Sheldon had dared all he cared to with his small
following. Besides, his mission was accomplished. Every member of
Tudor's expedition was accounted for; and it was a long, dark way out of
the head-hunters' country. Releasing their two prisoners, who leaped
away like startled deer, they plunged down the steep path into the
steaming jungle.
Joan, still shocked by what she had seen, walked on in front of Sheldon,
subdued and silent. At the end of half an hour she turned to him with a
wan smile and said,--
"I don't think I care to visit the head-hunters any more. It's
adventure, I know; but there is such a thing as having too much of a good
thing. Riding around the plantation will henceforth be good enough for
me, or perhaps salving another _Martha_; but the bushmen of Guadalcanar
need never worry for fear that I shall visit them again.
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