ground, while Murray saw two
more totter and go down as they ran shrieking, half mad with fear,
towards another portion of the lit-up ring of light, for they avoided
the little party of armed seamen as if they took them for one of the
causes of the sudden attack.

"Stand fast, my lads," cried the lieutenant. "Now then, forward!"

He placed himself at the head of his men, who followed him with their
muskets shouldered, but at the end of a few yards their commander
called--

"Halt--I'm not at all sure of our way, gentlemen," he said, addressing
the two midshipmen, "but I think we ought to take that end--yonder where
the blacks are collecting."

"No, sir, I don't think that's right," cried Murray. "You see, every
part of the circus-like place looks like the rest."

"Yes, I see that, Murray, but surely there is the path yonder by which
we came."

But as he spoke, half-a-dozen more musket flashes came from the very
spot to which he had pointed, and what might be called a wave of black
figures came, dotting the earth with as many white cotton-clad wounded
or dead unfortunates as shots had been fired.

"Bah! I'm wrong," cried the lieutenant angrily. "This looks like a
planned massacre of the poor creatures gathered at this meeting. If we
could only find our guide we might have a chance to get out of the
horrible confusion. Here, let's try this way."

"Yes, sir; that is the way, I am sure, for it is just opposite to that
chest out of which that poor fellow took the snake."

"You are right, sir," cried the lieutenant; "and we must retreat in that
direction, for it is of no use to try and make a stand against a hidden
enemy."

"Why don't those poor wretches show fight, sir?" cried Murray excitedly,
as the little party began their march.

"Because they have no one to lead them, my lad."

"Can't we, sir?"

"We could if they knew us, Murray; but we are strangers, and it would be
madness to try and head such a confused mob."

"I suppose so, sir," said Murray sadly, as he marched on beside his
commander, who now gave an order to the men he led, which was heard
plainly above the shouting and yelling of the blacks, who in their fear
and confusion had cast away the heavy machetes with which they had armed
themselves.

"Make ready, my lads, in case the enemy has taken possession of our line
of retreat."

But all seemed perfectly still amongst the trees they approached, and
their lit-up trunks and boughs offere