up sharply, as one of
his two neighbours came to the door with his wife.

"Well, I doan't know," said the settler. "My wife says she is sure she
saw a savage creeping along through the bush behind our place."

"There!" said Don excitedly.

"Here's t'others coming," said Jem.

For at that moment the other settler, whose log-house was a hundred
yards below, came up at a trot, gun in hand, in company with his wife
and sister.

"Here, look sharp, Gordon," he said; "there's a party out on a raid. We
came up here, for we had better join hands."

"Of course," said Gordon. "Come in; but I think you are frightening
yourselves at shadows, and--"

He stopped short, for Jem Wimble dashed at the door and banged it to
just as Ngati sprang to the corner of the big log kitchen and caught up
a spear.

"Mike and them two beauties, Mas' Don!" cried Jem.

"Then it's war, is it?" said Gordon grimly, as he reconnoitred from the
window. "Eight--ten--twelve--about thirty Maori savages, and three
white ones. Hand round the guns, Don Lavington. You can shoot, can't
you?"

"Yes, a little."

"That's right. Can we depend on Ngati? If we can't, he'd better go."

"I'll answer for him," said Don.

"All right!" said Gordon. "Look here, Ngati,"--he pointed out of the
window and then tapped the spear--"bad pakehas, bad--bad, kill."

Ngati grunted, and his eyes flashed.

"Kill pakehas--bad pakehas," he said in a deep, fierce voice. "Kill!"
Then tapping the Englishmen one by one on the shoulder, "Pakeha good,"
he said smiling, and then taking Don by the arm, "My pakeha," he added.

"That's all right, sir," said Jem; "he understands."

"Now then, quick! Make everything fast. We can keep them out so long
as they don't try fire. And look here, I hate bloodshed, neighbours,
but those convict scoundrels have raised these poor savages up against
us for the sake of plunder. Recollect, we are fighting for our homes--
to defend the women."

A low, angry murmur arose as the guns were quickly examined, ammunition
placed ready, and the rough, strong door barricaded with boxes and tubs,
the women being sent up a rough ladder through a trap-door to huddle
together in the roof, where they would be in safety.

"So long as they don't set us afire, Mas' Don," whispered Jem.

"What's that?" said Gordon sharply.

"Jem fears fire," said Don.

"So do I, my lad, so we must keep them at a distance; and if they do
fire us run all together