dently considered that the time was up. He hopped to another ledge
with the agility of a goat, and Holman groaned.
Maru noticed the retreat, and quickened his movements. Dropping
cautiously from ledge to ledge he crept upon the other with the
swiftness of a leopard creeping upon its prey. One Eye's deafness left
him at the mercy of the shadow in his rear. Swiftly taking cover
whenever the white man's head moved to the right or the left, the native
decreased the distance, and we rose to our knees.
Then Maru sprang. His muscular right arm went round the neck of the
white, and we were rushing toward the cliff without waiting to see the
outcome of the struggle. The Raretongan's strength was immense, and we
knew that the other could not break the strangle hold that had been put
upon him. We were more afraid that One Eye would be choked into
insensibility before we reached the post.
The big native was sitting astride his captive when we gained the ledge,
and the prisoner was blinking his one good eye as he stared up at him.
We dropped down beside him and took a look at the sun-tanned face. He
exhibited no fear, and the weak, watery eye showed no glint of
intelligence. It was plain that his brain was slightly deranged.
Holman jerked him into a sitting position, and with signs and gestures
we endeavoured to explain what we wanted him to do. Neither of us
understood the deaf and dumb alphabet, but the alphabet was hardly
necessary. With much pantomimic action we described Leith, the
Professor, and the two girls, and Kaipi enjoyed himself immensely by
waving his knife in front of One Eye's face to signify the fate that
awaited him if he did not immediately guide us to the spot. The Fijian
was so proud of the blade that he could hardly be prevented from burying
an inch of the steel in the prisoner's body.
One Eye, although obviously half-witted, saw that Kaipi was only looking
for an excuse to send him to a more undesirable place than the Isle of
Tears, and he made eager signs that he would act as our guide. Holman
relieved him of the revolver and cartridges he had in his pockets,
strapped his arms behind him, and with Maru's hand clutching the collar
of his coat, we signalled to him to step forward and step lively if he
wished to delay his journey to the other world till his soul was in a
better condition. The sun was close to the high ridges in the west, and
we wished to close with Leith before nightfall.
One Eye tax
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