ed them
whether they would go Spaniard-hunting with him.

This was just what the bold Coromantees wished for; they grinned and
shouted their delight at serving under so great a warrior, and then set
to work most gallantly, getting through more in the day than any ten
Indians, and indeed than any two Englishmen.

So went on several days, during which the trees were felled, and the
process of digging them out began; while Ayacanora, silent and moody,
wandered into the woods all day with her blow-gun, and brought home at
evening a load of parrots, monkeys, and curassows; two or three old
hands were sent out to hunt likewise; so that, what with the game and
the fish of the river, which seemed inexhaustible, and the fruit of the
neighboring palm-trees, there was no lack of food in the camp. But what
to do with Ayacanora weighed heavily on the mind of Amyas. He opened his
heart on the matter to the old hermit, and asked him whether he would
take charge of her. The latter smiled, and shook his head at the notion.
"If your report of her be true, I may as well take in hand to tame a
jaguar." However, he promised to try; and one evening, as they were all
standing together before the mouth of the cave, Ayacanora came up
smiling with the fruit of her day's sport; and Amyas, thinking this a
fit opportunity, began a carefully-prepared harangue to her, which he
intended to be altogether soothing, and even pathetic,--to the effect
that the maiden, having no parents, was to look upon this good old man
as her father; that he would instruct her in the white man's religion
and teach her how to be happy and good, and so forth; and that, in
fine, she was to remain there with the hermit.

She heard him quietly, her great dark eyes opening wider and wider, her
bosom swelling, her stature seeming to grow taller every moment, as she
clenched her weapons firmly in both her hands. Beautiful as she always
was, she had never looked so beautiful before; and as Amyas spoke of
parting with her, it was like throwing away a lovely toy; but it must be
done, for her sake, for his, perhaps for that of all the crew.

The last words had hardly passed his lips, when, with a shriek of
mingled scorn, rage, and fear, she dashed through the astonished group.

"Stop her!" was Amyas' first word; but his next was, "Let her go!" for
springing like a deer through the little garden, and over the
flower-fence, she turned, menacing with her blow-gun the sailors, who