o, along here."

CHAPTER FIFTY ONE.

AN END TO DIFFICULTIES.

Daylight found the little party steadily advancing, but the blacks were
in pursuit, and Oliver passed along the line to have a short conference
with Panton, leaving Drew, Smith, and Wriggs to form the rear guard.

"Glad to see you, old fellow," said Panton. "I was afraid I had said
good-bye when you were left with that powder keg."

"But I haven't a scratch, only a little burn. What are you going to
do?"

"Get to the shore if I can, and try and find and take possession of
their canoes."

"Impossible," said Oliver, decisively. "Look here, we are on the way to
the old crater. Let's get to that natural fort. Once up there and
inside the great volcano wall we can easily keep these wretches at bay,
and they cannot burn us out there."

"No, but--"

"We must give them a severe lesson, and beat them off. It is our only
chance."

"Anything for the best," said Panton. "Very well, then, I'll turn off,
and we'll hold that piece you remember where it was so steep, and--"

"Yes, just where the leopard sprang out."

"Good," cried Panton, and he went on at the head of the men, while
Oliver halted till Smith and Wriggs came up with Drew.

"Speak the truth, Tommy," Wriggs was saying. "Yer can't be hungry
enough to eat a black, so don't tell no lies."

"Where are we for?" said Drew, anxiously.

"The old crater, to make that a fort."

"Hooroar," said Smith, in a low voice. "Splendid. Billy, old chap,
that place was just runnin' in my head, as being a good spot for a
fight."

"Then the sooner we are there, the better," said Drew, "for the wretches
are close behind."

"And going to shoot," said Oliver, raising his piece, and firing back
both barrels rapidly, the buck shot with which they were charged
breaking through the leaves and twigs and eliciting a savage yell.

"He's got it, Billy," said Smith, "and sarve him right."

Some little trifle later, after being much harassed, the retreating
party were offering themselves as prominent marks to the blacks, as they
climbed up the outer slope of the old crater, but very soon after they
began to reach shelter, and at last they lined the top of the mouldering
wall, while the blacks hesitated to approach, for the deadly powers of
the whites' guns had become more and more acknowledged. Hence the
fugitives were glad to rest a little, and refresh with water from the
lake and such scraps of food as t