118 The Seven Years of Seeking

little grove of palm-trees beside a shallow
stream for their church and cloister; but
they had not been long in that spot before
they saw the islanders gliding through the
wood and peering out at them in great
amaze. Serapion went forth to them, smil-
ing and beckoning them to approach, but
they fled and would not abide his coming.
So Serapion returned, and the Sea-farers
made themselves such a home as they
might, and rested a little from their toiling.

When the day had come to evening, and
the brethren were chanting vespers, the
islanders returned, many hundreds of them,
men and women, dusky of skin but comely
and bright-eyed, and for all their raiment
they wore garlands of blossoms and girdles
of woven leaves. Close they came to the
Sea-farers, and gazed at them, and the bold-
est touched them, as though to assure them-
selves that these were living mortals like
unto themselves. But when they saw the
little chorister, with his fair white face
and childish blue eyes and sunny hair, they
turned to each other with exclamations and
uncouth gestures of pleasure and wonder-
ment. Then they hurried away and brought