The end of it all was that we left our ship， having padlocked up the door (the padlock， we explained， was a magical instrument that bit worse than Tommy)， and moved inland in a kind of triumphal procession， priests and singers going before (the Orofenans sang extremely well) and minstrels following after playing upon instruments like flutes， while behind came the bearers carrying such goods as we needed.They took us to a beautiful place in a grove of palms on a ridge where grew many breadfruit trees， that commanded a view of the ocean upon one side and of the lake with the strange brown mountain top on the other.Here in the midst of the native gardens we found that a fine house had been built for us of a kind of mud brick and thatched with palm leaves， surrounded by a fenced courtyard of beaten earth and having wide overhanging verandahs； a very comfortable place indeed in that delicious climate.In it we took up our abode， visiting the ship occasionally to see that all was well there， and awaiting events.
For Bickley these soon began to happen in the shape of an ever-increasing stream of patients.The population of the island was considerable， anything between five and ten thousand， so far as we could judge， and among these of course there were a number of sick.Ophthalmia， for instance， was a prevalent disease， as were the growths such as Marama had suffered from， to say nothing of surgical cases and those resulting from accident or from nervous ailments.With all of these Bickley was called upon to deal， which he did with remarkable success by help of his books on Tropical Diseases and his ample supplies of medical necessaries.
At first he enjoyed it very much， but when we had been established in the house for about three weeks he remarked， after putting in a solid ten hours of work， that for all the holiday he was getting he might as well be back at his old practice， with the difference that there he was earning several thousands a year.Just then a poor woman arrived with a baby in convulsions to whose necessities he was obliged to sacrifice his supper， after which came a man who had fallen from a palm tree and broken his leg.
Nor did I escape， since having somehow or other established a reputation for wisdom， as soon as I had mastered sufficient of the language， every kind of knotty case was laid before me for decision.In short， I became a sort of Chief Justice--not an easy office as it involved the acquirement of the native law which was intricate and peculiar， especially in matrimonial cases.
At these oppressive activities Bastin looked on with a gloomy eye.
"You fellows seem very busy，" he said one evening； "but I can find nothing to do.They don't seem to want me， and merely to set a good example by drinking water or tea while you swallow whisky and their palm wine， or whatever it is， is very negative kind of work， especially as I am getting tired of planting things in the garden and playing policeman round the wreck which nobody goes near.Even Tommy is better off， for at least he can bark and hunt rats.""You see，" said Bickley， "we are following our trades.
Arbuthnot is a lawyer and acts as a judge.I am a surgeon and Imay 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膔ound their necks！