"No danger," he cried. "All boys go over here before they could call
themselves men. That long, long time ago."

The Professor grabbed his notebook as he heard the explanation, and he
immediately proceeded to deluge the Kanaka with questions.

"What was that?" he squeaked. "You say all the boys had to climb over
there?"

"That's so," grinned Soma. "This place make 'em test. Young boy go over
this quick he make plenty good fighting man. Feller go over slow he no
good."

The Professor's pencil moved quicker than the pen of a court
stenographer. The Kanaka's remark had brought him much copy, and the
dangers of the path were forgotten as he jotted down the information.

"And they went over here?" he cried, his eyes wide open as he gazed at
the edge of the crater.

"Right over here," grinned Soma. "See rock mighty slippery here. All
boys' hands and feet do that. Polish it mighty fine."

"But surely this test is not carried on at the present time?" cried the
scientist. "When was this wonderful custom in force?"

"About the time that Christopher Columbus was paddling to America,"
replied Leith. "There are no natives on the Isle of Tears now. Soma is
speaking of a time when these islands were inhabited."