Hino, the Apostate. 
343 
throwing the spear with his companions, a spear 
which went wide of the mark had entered the 
palm of his hand. The missionaries looked at 
the wound and said that the point of the spear 
yet lay in it, and then they cut deep into 
the flesh and took out a piece of wood. 
“ What is this ? ” said Tati fiercely to Matara 
the priest, and he shook his clenched hand 
angrily at him; “ did not the boy’s mother say 
that the point of the spear was in the wound, 
and didst not thou say she was foolish, and 
make her bind up the hand tightly and anoint it 
with hot oil? Away with thee, I say ; these 
white men are cleverer than thou art! ” 
Matara dared not answer Tati, but went 
away hating Hino still more, and planning how 
he would yet be revenged ; but of his black 
looks Tati and she took no heed, for their 
hearts went out to the white men when the 
boy said that already the pain was leaving 
his arm and hand. 
It was for this that Hino pressed her husband 
to take hold of the new faith and let one of the 
strangers remain to teach the people ; and so 
by and by the white missionaries sent ashore a 
Tahitian, who was of the white men’s lotu, to 
