Pam woke to find herself in the small, cramped space of the lower bunk of the boat's sleeping quarters. Pete's arms and legs were draped across her and he was sleeping peacefully. Across the room she saw Shelly and Ted in the other lower bunk sleeping serenely, their limbs also intertwined.
She freed herself from Pete's confining limbs and gazed longingly. at his big, muscular body, relaxed and vulnerable in the remote distance of a sound slumber. He stirred lazily and sprawled on his back, one arm by his side and the other resting above his head on the pillow. Her eyes traveled down his body to where his soft prick reposed like a golden banana. Below, his hairy sac containing his huge, spongy balls hung loosely.
She sighed softly and smiled to herself, remembering what a world of delight he had transported her to the night before. When she got off the bunk he stirred fitfully and mumbled something unintelligible. She leaned over and gently placed her lips on his, careful not to wake him.
She located her shorts and blouse and put them on. She went up on deck, and breathing deeply, she cleared her head of the cobwebs accumulated there from the previous night.
The tranquil scene looked like a mural painted by a master's brush. Everything was still, quiet and peaceful in the early morning sun. She stretched lazily and climbed over the side, down the ladder, onto the bank of the lagoon.
She made her way along the path around the body of water and headed toward the beach. She heard the loud sound of the breakers rolling on the shore like loud drums in the distance. Hurrying her step, she emerged from the wooded area onto the golden sand of the beach. She. took off her shoes and ran to the water's edge, letting the coolness of the incoming tide roll over her feet.
She walked along the sand looking down to see what treasures the sea was washing in. Bending down, she picked up an oddly-shaped, colorful seashell.
When she straightened up, her mouth flew open in surprise and fear. There, no more than twenty feet away, was a man, a native with a long, wicked-looking spear in his hand. She dropped her seashell and began running back up the beach in the direction of the boat. Before she got to the wooded area she gave a glance around
I and saw that the man was following her. She picked up speed and ran frantically toward the lagoon, the low foliage slapping at her bare arms and legs. The boat came into view and she began calling loudly for Pete. She got nearer but there was no sign that he had heard her. She reached the side of the boat and saw Shelly's face, sleepy-eyed and tired-looking, at a porthole.
"Shelly!" she called loudly, "wake up Pete and Ted. There's a man following me! He's got a spear!"
Pam scrambled up the ladder and got onto the deck. Looking back, she saw the native walking around the edge of the lagoon.
Pete appeared on deck in his shorts, yawning. He was followed by Ted who was throwing on a shirt, and behind Ted was Shelly, wrapped in a towel, looking frightened.
Pete put his arm around Pam protectively. "Darling, what the hell? I thought you were still asleep like the rest of us."
"I just went for a walk, Pete. I was on the beach and I saw that man," she said, panting, pointing in the native's direction.
Ted and Shelly joined them at the deck rail and the four of them watched as the man approached. He came nearer and looked up at them and smiled.
"Did not mean to scare lady," he said in halting, accented English. "Was surprised much to see strange lady on beach."
"I can understand that," Pete said to him.
"We're in trouble as you can see. The storm yesterday blew us here and we ran aground."
The native looked at the Island Sun and said, "Yes, you got much trouble. But we fix. Chief will fix. You come village. Chief help."
"Village?" Ted asked.
"Yes, my village on other side of beach in jungle. You come, I show you."
"Let's get dressed and go with him," Pete said. "If we can get enough men we can pull this boat off the bank." To the native he said, "Give us a minute to get dressed. We'll come with you."
The man nodded and sat down on the bank of the lagoon to wait.
"Thank goodness he's a friendly native," Pam said. "When I saw him and saw that spear it scared me to death. I thought maybe ha was a headhunter."
"Sweetheart," Pete said, laughing, "I don't think there are any headhunters around these parts. I'm sure all the islands around here are friendly."
"I hope so," Pam said. "I didn't know what he might do to me so I just ran."
"I would have done the same thing," Shelly remarked.
They dressed hurriedly and climbed over the side of the boat to join the native. He stood up and smiled when he saw them coming.
"We go now to village. You come. I show."
"Is it far?" Pam asked.
"No, it not far. We go around beach. Better for to walk."
"What tribe do you belong to?" Ted wanted to know.
"Malahani," the native replied.
"You and your people still live the old way of life, complete with tribal rituals?" Pete inquired.
"Yes, still worship Gods, still live in jungle," he answered.
"That's beautiful," Shelly replied.
He led them at a fast pace along the graceful curve of the beach toward the village. Some time later, they saw a gray wisp of smoke curling above the trees, floating up into the bright blue sky.
He pointed toward the smoke and said, "We be there soon. Village."
"Thank goodness," Shelly said. "I thought he said it wasn't far. I'm exhausted."
"It's as if this whole thing were out of some movie," Pete replied.
"If this village has a sixty-foot wall around it, I'm gonna shit," Ted added.
"Rama KONG!" Pete shouted, jokingly.
They rounded a bend of the shoreline and before them lay the village, nestled in a setting of towering palms, lush green foliage, and flowers. As they approached, they heard the loud sound of a horn blowing. When they got nearer, they saw all the village's inhabitants lined up to greet them. The horn sounded again. Looking up into a tall palm, they saw a young man blowing a large shell.
They were led into the village, which stretched from the coastline into the jungle, huts scattered here and there for hundreds of yards. They passed between rows of the palm-thatched huts, and at the end of the avenue was a hut, larger and more luxurious than the others. They stopped before it and soon a tall, suntanned man stepped from it.
"The village of Malahani welcomes you," he said, smiling at them. "I am Wakaui, chief of the village. We are happy to have you here. Tell me what brings you to our village?"
Ted explained at length about their ill-fated voyage. While he talked, Pam let her gaze wonder. Standing near the chief was a bronzed man, so handsome he made her heart pound and her legs go weak. She nudged Shelly and told her to look at him.
"Oh, yeah!" replied Shelly. "My god, he's handsome. Can he be for real?"
"I'd certainly like to find out," Pam paid.
"Me, too," Shelly declared.
While Pam and Shelly gazed at the man and the other villagers, the eyes of the villagers were gazing at them, especially at the blonde, fair-skinned Pam.
Ted finished telling the chief about their misfortune and the chief smiled and said, "I'm sure we can help you. Soon we go and take a look at your boat. But first, come into my house and I will offer you something to drink."
As they followed Wakaui towards his hut, Pam shot a glance in the direction of the handsome man. He was walking in the opposite direction, very slowly. She noticed that he sported excessively long hair, tied in a pony-tail, and was clad in only a faded pair of cut-offs. He was white! Pam thought to herself how strange it was for a white person to be living with a native tribe.
They followed the chief inside and he told them to be seated. They sat on the floor around a low table. The floor was covered by a beautiful rug.
At that moment, a villager entered the but and sat down at the chief's right hand. He was presented to the guests.
"Allow me to present my son, Kapuna," the chief said.
Kapuna nodded and smiled to them. Shelly looked deeply into his dark eyes and felt her heart melt inside her chest. He reached over and shook hands with Ted and Pete. He said he was happy to meet all of them, and that his village was honored by their presence.
The chief clapped his hands and a servant brought in a tray of drinks served in coconut shells. They sipped the cool liquid and found it to be very good. They finished and another round was brought.
Then the chief announced that they would go and take a look at their stranded boat. He stepped out on the porch of his but and hollered something, immediately gaining the attention of the villagers who were standing outside. All the able-bodied men, the chief said, would accompany him to the place where his guests' boat was aground.
Before they got started, Pam spoke up. "Excuse me, Wakaui, but who was that fellow with his hair tied back?"
"That is Phillip. He lives here in the village with the rest of my people."
"But, he's white, isn't he?" she inquired.
"Quite. An American as well. He came here maybe three years ago and never left." The chief looked carefully at her inquisitive expression and said, "Don't worry, you'll see him again, later."
He led the way down to the beach where more than a dozen long canoes were launched. Pam, Pete, Ted, and Shelly were told which boats to board and they piled in, and several pair of tanned, muscular arms propelled them out into the water. The oars dipped and fell in a steady rhythm, the canoes glided rapidly over the smooth surface.
In the first boat was the chief, sitting proudly in the bow, staring straight ahead while a half dozen men manned the oars. In the second was Kapuna, staring straight ahead like his father. The canoes spread out in the water and followed the curve of the shore, while the oarsmen pushed them over the rippling water nearer and nearer to the lagoon.
Pam relaxed and let the cool, salty breeze caress her face and blow her hair. She turned to look at Pete, seated just behind her.
"I'm glad I took that walk now, Pete," she said.
"So am I, darling. It was a stroke of luck for us."
"Even if I did get scared half to death," she said. "I hope they'll be able to free the boat."
"There's enough men for. the job," Pete said, looking over the fleet of canoes.
A little further, the shoreline curved sharply inward to the lagoon. As they approached they saw the Island Sun sitting alone and forlorn, like some unwanted thing cast up by the sea.
The boat bearing the chief stopped and that was the signal for the rest of them to stop. They sat there, the canoes bobbing on the water, while the chief looked the situation over. After a while, when he had figured out what was to be done, he had his men row him in and he boarded the cabin cruiser.
Standing on the deck he looked every inch a chief as he began shouting orders. Ropes were brought forth and tied in strategic locations along the boat. Then several canoes loaded with men moved away from the Island Sun while the ropes were pulled. At the other end of the boat more men pushed. There was a great burst of manpower and Pam thought she saw the boat move slightly.
The chief ordered and more men waded into the lagoon to the end of the boat that was in the water.
The men began to rock the Island Sun slowly, in a steady rhythm, while the others pushed and the men with the ropes pulled. Another great output of energy was put into motion. This time their efforts were successful.
"It's moving!" Pam exclaimed. "It's moving!"
Under the sheer force of raw muscle power, the Island Sun slipped slowly off the bank and into the clear blue water of the lagoon. When it was afloat, the men gave a resounding cheer. Pete and Ted waded out and climbed aboard, exhausted and perspiring, and shook the chief's hand.
"A thousand thanks, Chief!" Ted said gratefully. He looked at the men in the water and those on the bank and thanked them. "How can we ever repay you?" he asked.
The chief smiled and said, "Come back to our village and accept our hospitality. Let us entertain you. Guests of the Malahani are a cause for celebration!"
"We'd be honored, Chief," Ted told him. Strong arms carried Pam and Shelly from the bank out into the water where they could board the cabin cruiser. When they were aboard, Ted started the engine and they followed the canoes out of the lagoon into open water. The chief sat on the deck and watched as The Island Sun passed the canoes and left them far behind. He sipped a drink that.Pete mixed for him and chatted happily while they cruised rapidly over the water.
In a little while they were back at the village and Ted guided the boat into the inlet near the village, anchoring alongside the dock. Pete jumped onto the dock and helped the chief off, then assisted Pam and Shelly. Ted cut the engine and joined them, and together they went to the village.
As soon as they arrived in the village, the chief began giving orders and the makings of a feast were begun. The women and children jumped to his commands, chattering and laughing as they went about their prescribed tasks.
He escorted the two couples to a neat row of huts sitting a little apart from the others. They were the guest huts, he explained. He assigned a but to each of them and told them to make themselves comfortable, then he departed.