ncourage his companion to fresh exertions and
distortions of his countenance.

"I want to come," said Don softly, in the midst of the applause.

"I daren't do it, my lad. They'd come down after me if I did; but I'll
send Ngati. He'll come in his little canoe."

Don's heart beat wildly at these words, and he had no chance to say
more, for Tomati went toward the officers, talked with them for a while;
and then, as Don watched, he saw him go to the big chief, clap him on
the shoulder, and say something which made the great fellow smile.

The New Zealanders seemed to show more interest in the appointments of
the ship than they had displayed before, and the officers were civil
enough to them, exchanging presents, and getting from the dusky warriors
greenstone ornaments and weapons in exchange for powder and tobacco.

Don's heart had ceased to beat, and he was thinking despondently that he
might as well give up all idea of evasion, when a hand was laid upon his
shoulder, and looking up, it was to encounter the hideous face of the
big chief, who said, with a peculiar laugh,--

"My pakeha. Bring gunpowder plenty. Wait by big ship. Dark."

It was not a very clear promise, but Don realised that it meant a chance
of escape, and his eyes flashed with excitement, as the chief went on.

"Plenty gunpowder. Bring, bring. My pakeha."

He went off directly to where some of his fellows were standing about
the deck, and hardly realising whether the chief was to be depended on,
Don was about to go in search of Jem, when he felt a chill of despair,
for, as he turned, he encountered the sinister countenance of Ramsden,
his eye fixed upon him in a watchful way, and a satisfied smile playing
about his lips.

Did he hear? Did he know? If he did, Don felt certain that the
scoundrel would go and report all to one of the officers, and so get it
to the captain's ears.

Still there was hope. He might not have heard, and as to the New
Zealand men speaking to him, they were doing that to nearly every sailor
they encountered on the deck.

Still he felt that it would be better not to be seen speaking to Jem,
and he crossed to another part of the ship, and stood watching the
leave-taking of the visitors, who descended into their canoe laden with
presents and the objects they had obtained by barter.

Tomati was the last to descend, and he was standing in the gangway with
a bottle of rum and a canister of powder in his hands, when Do