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222
The Absolute at Large
The night before last they fished out of the sea a Japanese atomic torpedo. They've set it up over there under the coco-nut palms, and now they are bowing down before it. Now they have a God of their own. That's why they must devour us."
War-cries sounded from the mangrove thicket.
"Do you hear them?" muttered the Captain. "On my soul, I'd rather . . . go through the geometry examination all over again. . . ."
"Listen," Bondy whispered. "Couldn't we go over to their religion? As far as I am concerned . . ."
At that moment a gun boomed out from the Papeete.
The Captain uttered a low cry of joy.
