stand. Didn't they, Billy?"

"Ay, Tommy, they did, lad," growled Wriggs; "but speak the truth,
messmate, and don't keep nought back. Yourn was just as bad."

"Wuss, Billy, ever so much, and I was quite ashamed to take 'em on board
again. Oh, murder! Look-ye there!" Smith exclaimed, in a hoarse
whisper, and he dropped down flat.

"Legs again!" growled Wriggs, following his example, one that the others
were not slow to adopt, for all at once the heads of several spears came
into view, and hardly had the little party crept well under cover before
there was a sudden burst of voices, and they could see the black faces
of a crowd of Papuans advancing.

There was very little cover, and, to the horror of all, they saw and
heard that the enemy had what the military would term flankers out, in
shape of a couple of men at each end of their line; and while the main
body kept along out in the open, the scouts at the right forced their
way through the undergrowth and among the trees at the edge of the
forest.

Those were crucial minutes, and both Panton and Drew felt that at any
moment they might be seen, for two naked figures came nearer and nearer
through the trees, till their white eyeballs and glistening teeth could
be seen plainly, and as Panton crouched there, with his piece
convulsively clutched in his hands, he felt certain that one of the men
saw him plainly, and was striding to get nearer, so as to be within
reach for a deadly thrust with his spear.

On and on he came, glaring straight before him, holding his weapon
carefully poised, and in utter ignorance of how near he was to death,
for at the slightest gesture Panton would have drawn trigger and shot
the savage in his track, a charge of bird shot at so short a distance
being as effectual as a bullet.

"It will be an enemy the less," he thought, and at one instant he had
determined upon firing and making sure before the man thrust at him with
his spear.

Just then there was a faint crack as of a twig being sharply broken, and
the savage turned quickly round to stand in an attitude of attention,
poised spear in one hand, bow and arrows in the other, ready to throw or
strike as the need might be.

Panton and his companions lay and crouched there, breathlessly, all
trembling with excitement, not with dread. For the same thought as now
invaded Panton's breast came to Drew's--that it was Oliver Lane,
attracted by the imitation of the bird's cry, making his way