"

The rest of the party looked in the direction indicated, and there, seen
clearly by the light of the flames thrown on their dark bodies, armed
with spears, clubs, and boomerangs, was a numerous body of savages.
They appeared to be looking cautiously about, as if expecting to find
their intended victims engaged in extinguishing the flames round the
hut.

"The black chaps are no cowards, Mr Gilpin. We shall have a fierce
fight of it, and our three firearms won't do much against all them, I'm
thinking," observed Larry.

"There are still more of them coming!" exclaimed Arthur; "and see!
there's a fellow has just joined them who looks like a chief. They are
pointing this way. We may look out to be attacked in a few minutes. We
may fire surely, James, if they come on? A few shots will probably send
them scampering off. They have no firearms among them."

"Not so sure of that, yer honour," said Larry. "Look, the fellow you
called the chief has a gun of some sort, and he is showing it to the
rest to encourage them. He handles it like a man who knows the use of
it, too."

In spite of the overwhelming numbers of the enemy, the little garrison
resolved to maintain their position. Little could be gained by flight,
and all their property would inevitably be destroyed should they desert
the hut. The risk they ran in either case was very great. They might
pick off some of the savages, but there were so many that they might
easily surround the hut and burn it to the ground.

"If we had two or three more fellows with us, we might bid defiance to
the whole mob," said Arthur.

"To my mind, if we was to shoot down that chap with the gun in his hand,
the rest would show us their heels," observed Sam Green, who had not
before spoken since the appearance of the savages; "they none on 'em
shows much stomach for the fight."

Sam's remark was correct. The savages were evidently aware that the
defenders of the hut possessed firearms, and even the chief showed no
inclination to expose himself. From their movements, however, it
appeared that they were about to make a rush towards the hut. At that
instant the tramp of horses' hoofs was heard approaching, and a voice
cried out--

"Open the door! Be quick! Let us in!"

James and his brother, who had been watching the savages from the roof,
jumped down at the moment that a rifle-ball whistled by.

"That bullet was never fired by a black chap," said Larry to Sam, as
the