s come we charge at them. These
fellows no used to shoot, sar. Better give muskets to others. We do
best with our swords."

"That is the best plan.

"You take one of the muskets, George, and give one to Harrison. The
two men on my side had better have the others, as I can't use one.

"You understand, lads. These will be spare arms. Keep them in
reserve if possible, so as to check the fellows when they make a
rush. Now do you all understand?

"You explain it to your men, Dominique.

"Now we will go on again, and at the double. It will be as much as
those fellows can do to keep up with us in this thick wood."

Ten minutes passed. Then there was a loud shout and the blowing of
a deep horn on their left, followed by a yell from the wood on both
sides.

"To the right," Frank shouted, and the party ran in among the
trees.

"Get in among that undergrowth with Anna," he said to Bertha.

"Gather there, Dominique, with your men. We shall want you
directly. They are sure to make a rush at first.

"Now, lads, one of you take that tree; the other the one to the
right," and he placed himself behind one between them. On glancing
round he saw that George had already posted his two men, and had
taken up his station between them.

"All hands kneel down," he said. "These bushes will hide us from
their sight. If we stand up we may be hit by shots from behind."

A moment later there was a general discharge of firearms round
them, and then some forty negroes rushed at them.

"On your feet now, men," Frank shouted. "Take steady aim and bring
down a man with each shot."

A cheer broke from the sailors. Four shots were fired from Frank's
side, and five from George Lechmere's, and with them came the
cracks of Frank's revolver, followed almost directly afterwards by
those of the pistols carried by the men, and George Lechmere's
revolver.

Scarce a shot missed. Ten of the negroes fell, and those attacking
from the right turned and bolted among the trees. The negroes on
the left, however, inspired by the roaring of the horns and the
shrieking yells of the Obi man, came on with greater determination
and dashed across the path.

"Now, Dominique, at them!" Frank shouted, as with the two sailors
he rushed across.

The numbers now were not very uneven. Of the twenty negroes on that
side, five had fallen under the musketry and pistol fire, and two
others were wounded; and as Frank's party and the blacks fell upon
them they hesita