the pirates appear at
once, they would afford us great assistance in keeping them at bay. The
remainder of our stakes were now brought up, and we were still driving
them in, when, the sun setting, darkness began to steal over the forest.

"And all this time we have not thought of a shelter for you, young
ladies!" said Mr Hooker. "That must be our next consideration."

We accordingly hastened down the hill, and brought up a quantity of the
huge palm-leaves which I have before described, as well as a number of
bamboos, and with these we soon erected a hut sufficient to accommodate
the Frau and the girls. For ourselves, we agreed that, as we should
have to work all night, it mattered nothing our having no shelter. We
found, indeed, the night air, in that elevated spot, thoroughly dry,
cool, and refreshing; so that, in spite of the labour we had already
gone through, we were well able to continue it. Having at length driven
in the stakes all round, we commenced an embankment. The outer crust of
the soil looked hard and dry enough; but we soon found, on digging down,
that it was sufficiently soft to enable us to get our spades into it
without difficulty.

"What can have become of Tanda?" said Mr Sedgwick.

"I hope the tiger has not carried him off," I could not help saying.

"No fear of that," was the answer. "The tiger is not likely to return
to the spot from whence we drove him, and Tanda has so quick an ear that
he would easily get out of the creature's way. It is more likely that
he has ventured too near the pirates, and been captured."

"I am afraid, then, that he will betray us to them," observed Mr
Thudicumb.

"I think not," answered our uncle. "He is a faithful fellow, and I
believe that he would rather be torn in pieces than do so."

These remarks were made while we were taking a few mouthfuls of food,
and resting for an instant from our toils. Just then the sound of a
voice reached our ears. Mr Sedgwick shouted in return.

"All right," he said, "here comes Tanda;" and directly afterwards a
human form was seen climbing the side of the hill. He stopped, and
again uttered an exclamation as he approached the fortification.

"He thinks it is the work of magic," answered Mr Sedgwick, "and
scarcely likes to enter the circle." Mr Sedgwick then spoke a few more
words to Tanda, who now came forward with greater confidence. We had
left a small opening on one side for going in and out, and by this Tand