“Yes,” said the messengers, “we told her, as you commanded, to prepare herself; Poliahu inquired, ’Does he still remember the game of konane between us?’”

“Perhaps so,” answered the messengers.

When Aiwohikupua heard the messengers’ words he suspected that they had not gone to Poliahu; then Aiwohikupua asked to make sure, “How did you two fly?”

Said they, “We flew past an island, flew on to some long islands—­a large, island like the one we first passed, two little islands like one long island, and a very little island; we flew along the east coast of that island and came to a house below the hills covered with shade; there we found Poliahu; that was how it was.”

Said Aiwohikupua, “You did not find Poliahu; this was Hinaikainalama.”

Now for this mistake of the messengers the rage of Aiwohikupua was stirred against his messengers, and they ceased to be among his favorites.

At this, Snipe and his companion decided to tell the secrets prohibited to the two by their master.  Now how they carried out their intrigue, you will see in Chapter XVIII.

CHAPTER XVIII.

After the dismissal of Snipe and his fellow, the chief dispatched Frigate-bird, one of his nimble messengers, with the same errand as before.

Frigate-bird went to Poliahu; when they met, Frigate-bird gave the chief’s command, according to the words spoken in Chapter XVII of this story.  Having given his message, the messenger returned and reported aright; then his lord was pleased.

Aiwohikupua waited until the end of the third month; the chief took his underchiefs and his favorites and the women of his household and other companions suitable to go with their renowned lord in all his royal splendor on an expedition for the marriage of chiefs.

On the twenty-fourth day of the month Aiwohikupua left Kauai, sailed with 40 double canoes, twice 40 single canoes, and 20 provision boats.

Some nights before that set for the marriage, the eleventh night of the month, the night of Huna, they came to Kawaihae; then he sent his messenger, Frigate-bird, to get Poliahu to come thither to meet Aiwohikupua on the day set for the marriage.

When the messenger returned from Poliahu, he told Poliahu’s reply:  “Your wife commands that the marriage take place at Waiulaula.  When you look out early in the morning of the seventeenth, the day of Kulu, and the snow clothes the summit of Maunakea, Maunaloa, and Hualalai,[56] clear to Waiulaula, then they have reached the place where you are to wed; then set out, so she says.”

Then Aiwohikupua got ready to present himself with the splendor of a chief.

Aiwohikupua clothed the chiefs and chiefesses and his two favorites in feather capes and the women of his household in braided mats of Kauai.  Aiwohikupua clothed himself in his snow mantle that Poliahu had given him, put on the helmet of ie vine wrought with feathers of the red iiwi bird.  He clothed his oarsmen and steersmen in red and white tapa as attendants of a chief; so were all his bodyguard arrayed.