When the others had gone in a little wave budded and swelled, then Hauailiki rode the wave.  As he rode, the natives cheered and the sisters of Aiwohikupua also.  What was that to Laieikawai?

When Hauailiki heard the cheering, then he thought surely Laieikawai’s voice would join the shouting.  Not so!  He kept on surfing until the fifth wave had passed; it was the same; he got no call whatever; then Hauailiki first felt discouragement, with the proof of Aiwohikupua’s saying about the “stubbornness of Laieikawai.”

CHAPTER XIV

When Hauailiki saw that Laieikawai still paid no attention to him he made up his mind to come in on the surf without the board.

He left it and swam out to the breakers.  As he was swimming Laieikawai said, “Hauailiki must be crazy.”

Her companions said, “Perhaps he will ride in on the surf without a board.”

When Hauailiki got to the breakers, just as the crest rose and broke at his back, he stood on its edge, the foam rose on each side of his neck like boars’ tusks.  Then all on shore shouted and for the first time Laieikawai smiled; the feat was new to her eyes and to her guardians also.

When Hauailiki saw Laieikawai smiling to herself he thought she had taken a liking to him because of this feat, so he kept on repeating it until five breakers had come in; no summons came to him from Laieikawai.

Then Hauailiki was heavy-hearted because Laieikawai took no notice of him, and he felt ashamed because of his boast to Aiwohikupua, as we have seen in the last chapter.

So he floated gently on the waves, and as he floated the time drew near for Laieikawai’s party to return to Paliuli.  Then Laieikawai beckoned to Hauailiki.

When Hauailiki saw the signal the burden was lifted from his mind; Hauailiki boasted to himself, “You wanted me all the time; you just delayed.”

And at the signal of the princess of Paliuli he lay upon the breaker and landed right where Laieikawai and her companions were sitting; then Laieikawai threw a lehua wreath around Hauailiki’s neck, as she always did for those who showed skill in surf riding.  And soon after the mist and fog covered the land, and when it passed away nothing was to be seen of Laieikawai and her party; they were at Paliuli.

This was the last time that Laieikawai’s party came to Keaau while Hauailiki was there; after Hauailiki’s return to Kauai, then Laieikawai came again to Keaau.

After Laieikawai’s party were gone to the uplands of Paliuli, Hauailiki left off surf riding and joined his guide, the chief counsellor of Aiwohikupua.  Said he, “I think she is the only one who is impregnable; what, Aiwohikupua said is true.  There is no luck in my beauty or my skill in surf riding; only one way is left, for us to foot it to Paliuli to-night.”  To this proposal of Hauailiki his comrade assented.