em were women and children and the confusion and excitement
were fearful.

Standing thus, Grimcke again raised his repeater and deliberately
opened fire on the crowd. It seemed cruel, but it was an act of
self-defence, for those people were clamoring for the lives of the two
men within, and would not be satisfied until they were at their mercy.

It was a strange scene that followed. The interior of the building
being dark, while the moonlight failed to touch the front, the figure
of the white man was invisible to the dusky wretches howling on the
outside.

All at once, from the black opening of the building, came the crash of
the repeating Winchester. Spouts of fire shot out into the gloom in
terrific succession, as if fiery serpents were darting their heads in
different directions; for the marksman aimed, quickly to the right, to
the left and to the front, never pausing until he had discharged half a
score of shots.

The panic for a minute or two was indescribable. Men, women and
children shrieked and scattered for the nearest available shelter.
Behind the buildings and down the river bank they dashed, stumbled and
rolled, until, but for the tragic nature of the scene, the white man
would have smiled.

But he had done enough, and he stepped back within the room to
replenish the magazine of his rifle.

Jared Long had been drawn into the room by the furious fusillade, and
now put the startling question whether advantage could not be taken of
the panic to make a sudden dash for the woods. It would never do to
make for the boat still resting against the shore, for it would be
filled with poisoned javelins before they could shove out into the
Xingu.

"I believe we can," replied the Professor; "it will take them some
minutes to get over their panic and that will be enough for us."

"Let us leave by the rear," said Long, "for I don't think that is so
well guarded."

The two turned to attempt the dash for freedom, when a cry from Bippo
struck them.

"Stay here," exclaimed the New Englander, fearing that a diversion was
on foot; "and I'll attend to him!"

He was back in the apartment in an instant. The light on the hearth
having been extinguished, the gloom in this portion of the building was
impenetrable, but a fearful struggle of some kind was going on. Some
animal or person had got within and grappled Bippo who was fighting
like a tiger.

Had the New Englander been able to distinguish the combatants,