ce.

Judging from what they heard, Mr Rimmer and his men were safe enough so
far, and had been aware of the Indians' attack. But what was to come
next?

The watchers asked themselves this question as they lay close together
listening for the slightest sound, waiting for a solution of the little
problem which had so much to do with their future: Had the enemy seen
them when the light was burning?

Long-drawn-out minutes passed as they waited in the darkness, now
hopeful, now despondent, for Oliver felt a touch on his arm
simultaneously with a soft, rustling sound, and the _pat, pat_ of naked
feet going over the sand.

The message of danger was silently telegraphed by a touch to the others,
and every weapon was grasped, those who had guns slightly raising the
muzzles, while Smith took out his jack-knife to open it with his teeth,
and Wriggs, to use his own words--afterwards spoken--"stood by" with the
ladder, meaning to use it as a battering-ram to drive it at any enemy
who approached.

But the sound passed over to their right, and all was silent again.

"Hadn't we better creep up to the ship?" whispered Oliver.

"And be shot for enemies?" replied Panton, in the same tone.

"They haven't seen us, so we had better wait till morning."

"And then make ourselves marks for spears and arrows."

"Better than for bullets. I'd rather a savage mop-headed Papuan shot
me, than Mr Rimmer did."

"Hist! Silence!" whispered Drew, who had crept closer. "Enemy."

He was right, for footsteps were heard again, coming from the direction
of the brig, and it seemed like a second party following the first, till
it occurred to Panton that this might be the same party returning from
passing right round the vessel.

But they had no means of knowing, and a few minutes later they all lay
there asking themselves whether they would not have acted more wisely if
they had fired a volley into the enemy when they first came up, and
followed up the confusion the shots would have caused by rushing to the
brig.

"They would not have taken us for the enemy then," said Drew.

But the opportunity had gone by, and to add to their discomfort, a low,
murmuring sound indicated that the savages had come to a halt between
them and their friends.

For a good hour the party waited in the hope that the enemy would move
away, but it soon became evident that they had settled down for a
permanent halt, and the murmur of voices came so clearly to the