lap referred to, she immediately dried her eyes and
looked humble. But she did not by any means _feel_ humble. No; a regard
for truth compels us to state that, on this particular occasion, Poopy
acted the part of a hypocrite. If her hands had been loose, and she had
possessed a knife just then--we are afraid to think of the dreadful use
to which she would have put it.

The natives spent a considerable time in securely binding their three
captives, after which they bore them into the cavern.

Here they kindled a torch, and held a long palaver as to what was to be
done with the prisoners. Some counseled instant death, others advised
that they should be kept as hostages.

The debate was so long and fierce, that the day had begun to break
before it was concluded. It was at length arranged that they should be
conveyed alive to their village, there to be disposed of according to
the instructions of their chiefs.

Feeling that they had already delayed too long, they placed the
prisoners on their shoulders, and bore them swiftly away.

Poor Corrie and his sable friend were easily carried, coiled up like
sacks, each on the shoulders of a stalwart savage; but Bumpus, who had
required eight men to bind him, still remained unconvinced of his
vincibility. He struggled so violently on the shoulders of the four men
who bore him, that Keona, in a fit of passion, tinged no doubt with
revenge, hit him such a blow on the head with the handle of an ax as
caused his brains to sing, and a host of stars to dance before his eyes.

These stars were, however, purely imaginary; for at that time the dawn
had extinguished the lesser lights. Ere long, the bright beams of the
rising sun suffused the eastern sky with a golden glow. On passing the
place where Alice had been left, a couple of the party were sent by
Keona to fetch her. They took the unnecessary precaution of binding the
poor child, and speedily rejoined their comrades with her in their arms.

The amazement of her friends on seeing Alice was only equaled by her
surprise on beholding them. But they were not permitted to communicate
with each other. Presently the whole party emerged from the wild
mountain gorges, through which they had been passing for some time, and
proceeded in single file along a narrow path that skirted the precipices
of the coast. The cliffs here were nearly a hundred feet high. They
descended sheer down into deep water; in some places even overhung the
sea.