econnoitre and make some
plan of escape.

It was quite time, for the Maoris had either seen them or some of the
traces they had left behind; and, carefully examining every foot of the
narrow valley shelf along which they had climbed, were coming rapidly
on.

Don's heart sank, for it seemed to him that they were in a trap. On his
right was the wall-like side of the gully they ascended; on his left the
sheer precipice down to the awful torrent; before them the sound of a
mighty cataract; and behind the enemy, coming quickly and stealthily on.

CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN.

A DANGEROUS PHASE.

Ngati took all in at a glance, and signing to his companions to follow,
he again lay down, creeping on for a short distance, trailing his spear,
till they were well behind a pile of rocks.

Here he gave a sharp look round at the _cul de sac_ into which they had
been driven, and without hesitation crept to their left to where the
rocky wall descended to the raging torrent.

To him the place seemed to have no danger, as he passed over the edge
and disappeared, but to Don it was like seeking death.

"We can never do it, Jem," he said.

"Must, Mas' Don. Go on."

Don looked at him wildly, and then in a fit of desperation he lowered
himself over the edge, felt a pair of great hands grasp him by the
loins, and, as he loosened his hold, he was dropped upon a rough ledge
of rock, where he stood giddy and confused, with the torrent rushing
furiously along beneath his feet, and in front, dimly-seen through a
mist which rose from below, he caught a glimpse of a huge fall of water
which came from high up, behind some projecting rocks, and disappeared
below.

The noise of falling water now increased, reverberating from the walls
of rock; the mist came cool and wet against his face, and, hurried and
startled, Don stood upon the wet, rocky shelf, holding on tightly, till
Ngati laid his hand upon his shoulder, passed round him, and then,
signing to him to follow, went on.

Don's first thought was of Jem, and looking behind him, there was his
companion close to where he stood.

Jem nodded to him to go on, just as a faint shout arose from somewhere
above; and this seemed to nerve him to proceed over the slippery stones
to where Ngati was passing round a corner, holding tightly by the rock,
which he seemed to embrace.

The way was dangerous in the extreme--a narrow ledge of the most rugged
kind with a perpendicular moss-covered wall on