The other head, equally ancient, was a white man's, as the heavy blond moustache, twisted and askew on the shrivelled upper lip, gave sufficient advertisement; and Sheldon wondered what forgotten beche-de-mer fisherman or sandalwood trader had gone to furnish that ghastly trophy.
Telling Binu Charley to remove the ear-rings, and directing the Poonga- Poonga men to carry out the old fire-tender, Sheldon cleared the devil- devil house and set fire to it.

Soon every house was blazing merrily, while the ancient fire-tender sat upright in the sunshine blinking at the destruction of his village.

From the heights above, where were evidently other villages, came the booming of drums and a wild blowing of war-conchs; but Sheldon had dared all he cared to with his small following.

Besides, his mission was accomplished.

Every member of Tudor's expedition was accounted for; and it was a long, dark way out of the head-hunters' country.