a bow so massive that no one
bushman could have bent it.

The Binu man traced out the mechanics of the trap, and exposed the hidden
fibre in the tangled undergrowth that at contact with Koogoo's foot had
released the taut bow.

They were deep in the primeval forest. A dim twilight prevailed, for no
random shaft of sunlight broke through the thick roof of leaves and
creepers overhead. The Tahitians were plainly awed by the silence and
gloom and mystery of the place and happening, but they showed themselves
doggedly unafraid, and were for pushing on. The Poonga-Poonga men, on
the contrary, were not awed. They were bushmen themselves, and they were
used to this silent warfare, though the devices were different from those
employed by them in their own bush. Most awed of all were Joan and
Sheldon, but, being whites, they were not supposed to be subject to such
commonplace emotions, and their task was to carry the situation off with
careless bravado as befitted "big fella marsters" of the dominant breed.

Binu Charley took the lead as they pushed on, and trap after trap yielded
its secret lurking-place to his keen scrutiny. The way was beset with a
thousand annoyances, chiefest among which were thorns, cunningly
concealed, that penetrated the bare feet of the invaders. Once, during
the afternoon, Binu Charley barely missed being impaled in a staked pit
that undermined the trail. There were times when all stood still and
waited for half an hour or more while Binu Charley prospected suspicious
parts of the trail. Sometimes he was compelled to leave the trail and
creep and climb through the jungle so as to approach the man-traps from
behind; and on one occasion, in spite of his precaution, a spring-bow was
discharged, the flying arrow barely clipping the shoulder of one of the
waiting Poonga-Poonga boys.

Where a slight run-way entered the main one, Sheldon paused and asked
Binu Charley if he knew where it led.

"Plenty bush fella garden he stop along there short way little bit," was
the answer. "All right you like 'm go look 'm along."

"'Walk 'm easy," he cautioned, a few minutes later. "Close up, that
fella garden. S'pose some bush fella he stop, we catch 'm."

Creeping ahead and peering into the clearing for a moment, Binu Charley
beckoned Sheldon to come on cautiously. Joan crouched beside him, and
together they peeped out. The cleared space was fully half an acre in
extent and carefully fenced against