“You see,” said Bickley, “we are following our trades.  Arbuthnot is a lawyer and acts as a judge.  I am a surgeon and I may add a general—­a very general—­practitioner and work at medicine in an enormous and much-neglected practice.  Therefore, you, being a clergyman, should go and do likewise.  There are some ten thousand people here, but I do not observe that as yet you have converted a single one.”

Thus spoke Bickley in a light and unguarded moment with his usual object of what is known as “getting a rise” out of Bastin.  Little did he guess what he was doing.

Bastin thought a while ponderously, then said: 

“It is very strange from what peculiar sources Providence sometimes sends inspirations.  If wisdom flows from babes and sucklings, why should it not do so from the well of agnostics and mockers?”

“There is no reason which I can see,” scoffed Bickley, “except that as a rule wells do not flow.”

“Your jest is ill-timed and I may add foolish,” continued Bastin.  “What I was about to add was that you have given me an idea, as it was no doubt intended that you should do.  I will, metaphorically speaking, gird up my loins and try to bear the light into all this heathen blackness.”

“Then it is one of the first you ever had, old fellow.  But what’s the need of girding up your loins in this hot climate?” inquired Bickley with innocence.  “Pyjamas and that white and green umbrella of yours would do just as well.”

Bastin vouchsafed no reply and sat for the rest of that evening plunged in deep thought.

On the following morning he approached Marama and asked his leave to teach the people about the gods.  The chief readily granted this, thinking, I believe, that he alluded to ourselves, and orders were issued accordingly.  They were to the effect that Bastin was to be allowed to go everywhere unmolested and to talk to whom he would about what he would, to which all must listen with respect.

Thus he began his missionary career in Orofena, working at it, good and earnest man that he was, in a way that excited even the admiration of Bickley.  He started a school for children, which was held under a fine, spreading tree.  These listened well, and being of exceedingly quick intellect soon began to pick up the elements of knowledge.  But when he tried to persuade them to clothe their little naked bodies his failure was complete, although after much supplication some of the bigger girls did arrive with a chaplet of flowers—­round their necks!

Also he preached to the adults, and here again was very successful in a way, especially after he became more familiar with the language.  They listened; to a certain extent they understood; they argued and put to poor Bastin the most awful questions such as the whole Bench of Bishops could not have answered.  Still he did answer them somehow, and they politely accepted his interpretation of their theological riddles.