ext minute four more blacks
appeared, dragging the man after them bound hand and foot, and looking
purple in the face, and scratched as if he had been engaged in a severe
struggle.

"There you are, Mr Jack," he panted. "They've 'most killed me. Jumped
upon me just as I had a splendid chance. On my back. Five to one, the
cowards. And then they come behind you, and can't hit fair. Are you
hurt?"

"Not much. Oh, Ned, and I thought we had got away from them."

"Yes, but they must have been on the look-out, sir."

The blacks were standing round them, spear in hand, ready to strike if
an attempt was made to escape, and Jack said so.

"Oh yes, sir, they'd let go at us if we tried to run, but it's of no use
to do that, for they'd bring us down at once. There, we may as well
look it straight in the face and make the best of it."

"We can't, Ned," said Jack dismally; "there is no best to it. I only
wish I knew what they were going to do with us. Only fancy, after us
taking all that trouble to get away!"

The bewailings were brought to an end by a stalwart black clapping him
on the shoulder and saying something as he pointed over the ridge.

"Ugh! you ugly, mop-headed Day and Martin dummy," cried Ned. "If I
hadn't a better language than that I'd hold my tongue. No use to kick,
Mr Jack; suppose we must go on."

Jack was already stepping forward, urged by another powerfully-built
fellow, who showed his teeth and pricked him forward with the point of
the spear he carried.

It was a blunt, clumsy weapon, the point being merely the wood of which
it was formed, hardened by thrusting in the fire, but the hand which
held it was powerful, and the prod received severe, though the skin was
not pierced. Jack uttered no cry, neither did he shrink, but turned
round so fiercely upon the black that the fellow started back.

"Well done, Mr Jack, sir," cried Ned excitedly; "that did me good. I
like that, sir. Let 'em see that you're Briton to the backbone, and
though they've tied me up again with these bits of cane, Britons never
shall be slaves. Here, ugly: come and stand in front and I'll kick
you."

It was waste of words, but the blacks understood that it was meant
defiantly, and they lowered their spears and signed to their prisoners
to go on.

"Oh yes," cried Ned proudly, "we'll go on. Can't help ourselves, can
we, Mr Jack? But don't be down-hearted, sir. They haven't killed us,
and perhaps after all they ma