force if the savages dare to venture into the cavern after
us."

"Very good; but see that you finish it in less than five minutes, for
I'll be ready in that time."

Peterkin immediately poured out a large quantity of powder on a flat
rock, and mingling with it a little water from a pool near by, converted
it into a semi-moist ball. This he divided into three parts, and
forming each part into the shape of a tall cone, laid the whole
carefully aside.

"There!" said he, "lie you there until you are wanted."

At this moment, while Jack and I were bending down fastening the latchet
of our shoes, our ears were saluted with one of the most appalling yells
I ever listened to. Makarooroo fell flat to the earth in his fright,
and my own heart chilled with horror, while Jack sprang up and
instinctively grasped the handle of his hunting-knife.

"Very good," said Peterkin, as he stood laughing at us quietly, and we
immediately perceived that it was he who uttered the cry.

"Why, what mean you?" said Jack, almost angrily. "Surely this is no
time for foolish jesting."

"I am anything but jesting, Jack. I'm only rehearsing another part of
my plan."

"But you ought to give us warning when you are about to do such
startling things," said I remonstratively.

"Nay, that would not have done at all, because then I should not have
known what effect my cry is likely to produce on unexpectant ears."

"Well, now, are you all ready?" inquired Jack. "Then let us go."

Issuing forth armed only with our double-barrelled guns and heavy
hunting-knives, we hastened towards the native village. When within a
hundred yards of the edge of the wood that skirted it we stopped to pull
off our shoes, for it was necessary that we should have nothing about
our persons to tell who we were should any one chance to see us as we
ran. We also left our rifles beside the shoes at a spot where we could
find them in an instant in passing, and then slowly approached the
outskirts of the village.

Presently we heard the hum of distant voices shouting, and the fear that
the scene of bloodshed had already begun induced us to quicken our pace
to a smart run. I never saw a man so deeply affected as was our poor
guide, and when I looked at him I felt extremely anxious lest his state
of mind should unfit him for acting with needful caution.

We gained the first cottages--they were empty. The village having been
recently built, no stockade had yet been t