His dialect differed so much from the Fijian that when he spoke first Felix could hardly follow him.

But he gathered vaguely, nevertheless, that they were to be well housed and fed for the present at the public expense; and even that something which the chief clearly regarded as a very great honor was in store for them in the future.

Whatever these people's particular superstition might be, it seemed pretty evident at least that it told in the strangers' favor.
Felix almost began to hope they might manage to live there pretty tolerably for the next two or three weeks, and perhaps to signal in time to some passing Australian liner.
The rest of that wonderful eventful day was wholly occupied with practical details.

Before long, two adjacent huts were found for them, near the shore of the lagoon; and Felix noticed with pleasure, not only that the huts themselves were new and clean, but also that the chief took great care to place round both of them a single circular line of white coral-sand, like the one he had noticed at Tu-Kila-Kila's palace-temple.
He felt sure this white line made the space within taboo.

No native would dare without leave to cross it.
When the line was well marked out round the two huts together, the chief went away for a while, leaving the Europeans within their broad white circle, guarded by an angry-looking band of natives with long spears at rest, all pointed inward.