his people by Professor
Grimcke.

It took the fellow but a few moments to grasp the situation. He told
no one of the death of Burkhardt, but busied himself in learning
precisely how matters stood. Had he dared to do so, he would have
ordered a cessation of the attack, but the latter was made by the
direct orders of King Haffgo, and Ziffak was not the chieftain to butt
his head against a stone wall, by an open defiance of his royal
brother's authority.

The assault was under the direction of Waggaman himself. The king from
his own door, where he could not be reached by any bullet of the
defenders, was watching the futile assault with an impatience and anger
that could hardly be restrained. His soul became like a volcano, as he
saw his brave warriors fall back, with many of them biting the dust.
Had not the traditions of his country forbade such a proceeding, he
would have placed himself at the head of the natives and led the
decisive charge.

Seeing how it was at the front, Ziffak cautiously made his way to the
rear. There were few warriors there, and he instinctively felt that if
his white friends were to get off at all, it must be through the rear
opening.

While intently debating with himself what he could do to help them, he
stealthily slipped down to where the large boat was lying under the
bank. No one was near it, for the attention of all was concentrated on
the fight under way. Unobserved, he shoved the craft out into the
stream and saw it drift with the current.

Returning to the rear of the besieged building again, he formed the
plan of getting the warriors to the front and then dashing back and
helping them out. This was a wild scheme, and involved great personal
risk to himself, for he was sure to be punished for rendering aid whose
discovery was inevitable.

At the very moment he was about to make the attempt, Grimcke and Long
gave him unexpected help by opening their united fire from the front
upon the warriors marshalling for the decisive charge.

This afforded him just the pretext he wanted, to order the Murhapas to
hasten to the other side of the building to assist in what was in
contemplation there, though, even with such a movement under way, it
will be seen that the right place for a portion of the savages was at
the rear, in order to head off the very thing that was attempted.

Thus it was, that, while the two explorers were congratulating
themselves on the success of their clever