t even a stick in his hand,
went forth from the fort, and was soon lost to sight among the shades of
the forest. Our Portuguese friends were in a great state of agitation;
but my sisters, especially Ellen, remained perfectly calm. I
complimented her on her courage. "Oh, I am sure Arthur's father will
accomplish what he undertakes," she answered. "I have therefore no fear
of an attack."

We, however, could not help looking anxiously for the return of the
recluse. The time went slowly by. "I am afraid the wretches will shoot
him before he has time to speak to them," observed Senhor Pimento.
Pedro, who was of a generous, warm-hearted disposition, proposed that
some of us should sally out, and try and overtake him before he reached
the enemy.

This was overruled by my father. "Our friend does not act without
judgment," he observed. "He knows the character of the people better
perhaps than we do. Hark! what is that?" The sound of many voices
shouting came faintly through the forest, as from a distance.

"Hurrah! they are coming on to attack us!" cried Tony; "we will give
them a warm reception."

"I hope rather that those sounds betoken that the Indians have
recognised our friend," observed my father.

Still we waited, many of our party looking out, as if they expected to
see the rebels approaching in battle array. At length a single figure
appeared emerging from the forest. It was the recluse. He hurried
forward towards us, and on entering the fort, took my father, John, and
I aside.

"I have not been so successful as I should wish," he said. "They are
perfectly ready to let the English, with whom they have no cause of
quarrel, go free, but they insist that the Portuguese gentleman and his
son should be delivered up to them, though they consent to allow the
rest of his family to accompany you if you wish it."

"We cannot accept such terms," said my father at once. "We are resolved
to defend our friends with our lives!"

"I thought as much," said Mr Mallet. "I promised, however, to convey
their message, in order to gain time. Is there no way by which your
friends can escape by the other end of the igarape?"

"There may be, but the Indians know it as well as we do," observed my
father, "and would probably lie in wait to catch them. I must ask you
to return and inform them that we cannot give up our friends who have
hospitably entertained us, and that if they insist on attacking the
fort, they must