, our first
duty, after alarming these people, is to defend our boat."

"Hadn't I better remain with you?" suggested Ralph, with the idea that
the greatest danger was in lingering on shore.

"You had better obey orders, lad," returned the mate, not unkindly,
however.

Ralph accordingly gathered the bedding in a bundle and stole down to
the boat, the bow of which was drawn upon the gravelly bank. Hardly
had he reached it when a series of hideous yells issued from the forest
on every side, and a rush of unknown forms could be dimly seen making
for the huddle of huts near the river.

Other figures of men, women, and children, naked and all but
defenseless, emerged from their egg-shaped shelters, some fighting as
best they could, others flying, and all apparently surrounded by a band
of vociferous demons.

"Ben," called Ralph, "keep the boat with your gun. I must go and see
what has become of Mr. Duff."

He sprang ashore, but had hardly climbed the bank when the mate
appeared rifle in hand, cool and collected.

"They are surprised by some predatory party of savages," said Duff. "I
don't think there are much if any firearms on either side, however. I
think we had better help our dusky friends, don't you, boys? They've
treated us white enough."

This was assented to, and the three crawled through the tall grass to
the verge of the village, where more of a massacre than a battle was
now going on.

The villagers were taken at a sad disadvantage, and were surrounded
evidently by superior numbers. The red-shirted chief was on the point
of being clubbed by one tall savage, while desperately engaged with
another. Ralph, seeing this, leveled his gun with a swiftness that
came of long practice amid the wilds of his native Hiawassee.

"Well done!" exclaimed the mate, as, after a sharp report, the negro
with a club dropped his weapon and hopped away with a ball in his
shoulder. "Now, let us spread out ten paces or so apart and advance.
Pump the balls into 'em, boys, but don't hit our black friends."

"How can we tell which is which when they're all alike as two
ha'pence?" growled Ben, but he received no answer, as both Mr. Duff and
Ralph were intent on the duty before them.

The crack of the Winchesters soon diverted attention from the villagers
to an extent that enabled them to recover somewhat from their panic.
The rapid hail of balls that hardly ever missed their aim disconcerted
the enemy.

The three white