ou two keep quite close in hiding."

At that moment from one of the trees at the edge of the forest, there
rang out the hoarse, cawing cry of one of the paradise birds, and
directly after they saw that a little flock had taken flight, and were
crossing the open land to make for the forest, far away toward the slope
of the mountain.

A sudden thought inspired Drew, and signing to his companions, he put
his hands close to his lips and gave vent to a very fair imitation of
the bird's note. In fact, so close was it, that they saw a couple of
birds in the little flock wheel round and come back over their heads,
till evidently detecting that it was a deceit, they flew off again.

"There; what's the good of that, man?" cried Panton, angrily. "You
couldn't deceive them."

"No, but I may trick poor Lane. He'll think it is some of the birds,
and come back eagerly to try and shoot one."

"Bah!" ejaculated Panton; but Drew took no heed of his impatient, angry
manner. Putting his hands to his mouth again, he produced a capital
imitation of the bird's call note, and then stood listening.

There was no rustling of the undergrowth, though, nor sign of an eager
white face peering out of the dim twilight among the great shadowy
tree-trunks, but a noise arose from the distance, which sent a thrill
through every one present, and made all strain their ears in the
direction of the shore, for it was the murmur of a crowd.

It was a strange, awe-inspiring sound, suggesting a horrible death at
the hands of merciless savages, and, acting under one impulse, the two
sailors glanced at Panton, and Drew saw plainly enough their startled
look of horror, as they turned and ran as hard as they could go back
along the edge of the forest toward the brig.

"The cowardly hounds!" said Panton, between his teeth, and he
involuntarily cocked his gun. "I could find it in my heart to send a
charge of shot after them."

"Let them go," cried Drew, bitterly. "We must hide here in the forest.
They will warn Mr Rimmer, and perhaps it's best."

He finished his speech with the loud _wok, wok, wawk_ again.

"Do stop that abominable row," cried Panton, whom the weakness had made
irritable. "You'll bring the niggers straight to us."

"I sha'n't stop it," said Drew, coolly, and he repeated the call.
"There!" he cried triumphantly, "that was it, exactly."

"Pish!" said Panton.

"I told you so," said Drew, excitedly, as the murmur of the approaching