She brought it, and I turned to the title-page, where I thought there would likely be some English, and so there was.  “There!” said I.  “Look at that!  ’London:  Printed for the British and foreign bible society, Blackfriars,’ and the date, which I can’t read, owing to its being in these X’s.  There’s no devil in hell can look near the Bible Society, Blackfriars.  Why, you silly!” I said, “how do you suppose we get along with our own AITUS at home?  All Bible Society!”

“I think you no got any,” said she.  “White man, he tell me you no got.”

“Sounds likely, don’t it?” I asked.  “Why would these islands all be chock full of them and none in Europe?”

“Well, you no got breadfruit,” said she.

I could have torn my hair.  “Now look here, old lady,” said I, “you dry up, for I’m tired of you.  I’ll take the Bible, which’ll put me as straight as the mail, and that’s the last word I’ve got to say.”

The night fell extraordinary dark, clouds coming up with sundown and overspreading all; not a star showed; there was only an end of a moon, and that not due before the small hours.  Round the village, what with the lights and the fires in the open houses, and the torches of many fishers moving on the reef, it kept as gay as an illumination; but the sea and the mountains and woods were all clean gone.  I suppose it might be eight o’clock when I took the road, laden like a donkey.  First there was that Bible, a book as big as your head, which I had let myself in for by my own tomfoolery.  Then there was my gun, and knife, and lantern, and patent matches, all necessary.  And then there was the real plant of the affair in hand, a mortal weight of gunpowder, a pair of dynamite fishing-bombs, and two or three pieces of slow match that I had hauled out of the tin cases and spliced together the best way I could; for the match was only trade stuff, and a man would be crazy that trusted it.  Altogether, you see, I had the materials of a pretty good blow-up!  Expense was nothing to me; I wanted that thing done right.

As long as I was in the open, and had the lamp in my house to steer by, I did well.  But when I got to the path, it fell so dark I could make no headway, walking into trees and swearing there, like a man looking for the matches in his bed-room.  I knew it was risky to light up, for my lantern would be visible all the way to the point of the cape, and as no one went there after dark, it would be talked about, and come to Case’s ears.  But what was I to do?  I had either to give the business over and lose caste with Maea, or light up, take my chance, and get through the thing the smartest I was able.