be seen, but the smoke rose in clouds as
the work of destruction seemed to be going on.

The singing and shouting increased, and once or twice the other
prisoners appeared to take an excited interest in the sounds that came
up to them; but they only sank directly after into a state of moody
apathy, letting their chins go down upon their chests, and many of them
dropping off to sleep.

The noise and shouting had been going on for some time, and then ceased,
to be succeeded by a low, busy murmur, as of a vast swarm of bees; and
now, after sitting very silent and thoughtful, watching the faint smoke
which came up from the fire, and eagerly drinking in the various sounds,
Don turned his eyes in a curiously furtive manner to steal a look at
Jem.

He did not move his head, but proceeded with the greatest caution, so as
to try and read his companion's countenance, when, to his surprise, he
found that Jem was stealing a look at him, and both, as it were,
snatched their eyes away, and began looking at the prisoners.

But at that time it was as if the eyes of both were filled with some
strange attractive force, which made them turn and gaze in a peculiarly
hard, wild way.

Don seemed to be reading Jem's thoughts as his sight plunged deeply into
the eyes of his companion, and as he gazed, he shuddered, and tried to
look elsewhere.

But he could not look elsewhere, only hard at Jem, who also shuddered,
and looked shame-faced and horrified.

For they were reading each other's thoughts only too correctly, and the
effect of that perusal was to make big drops of perspiration roll down
Jem's face, and to turn Don deadly pale.

At last each snatched his eyes away, Jem to watch the prisoners, Don to
close his, and sit trembling and listening to the bursts of merriment
which came up.

At such times, in spite of their efforts, they could not imitate the
apathy of the New Zealanders, but gazed wildly at each other, trying to
make themselves believe that what they imagined was false, or else the
prisoners would have shown some sign of excitement.

At last Jem ceased to make any pretence about the matter. He stared
speechlessly and full of misery at Don, who let his eyes rest wildly on
Jem's for a time before dropping his head upon his chest, and sitting
motionless.

All through the rest of that hour, and hour after hour, till towards
evening, did the wretched prisoners sit in despair and misery without
food or water; and the s