re not in
the bush at the present moment, I should say that the best thing by far
to do would be for all hands to set to work to tear off the
match-boarding, and to get down the whole of the covering of the roof;
they could not well hurt us then."

"Shall we do it at once, Mr. Atherton?"

"They would shoot us down at their leisure, Wilfrid. No, that is not to
be thought of. We must run the risk of fire now; and I feel, as I said,
pretty confident that we are too good shots to let men with fire get up
to the walls. I wish we could send down word to Mitford's that we are
besieged here. Of course, if he is attacked himself he could not help
us, but if he is not I know he would come out at once with a strong
party to our relief. I wonder whether that native boy of yours would try
to carry a message. None of us would have a chance of getting through,
but these fellows can crawl like snakes; and by working up through the
crops to the upper end of the glade he might gain the bush unobserved."

"I will ask him anyhow," Wilfrid said.

Jack on being promised a new suit of clothes and a present in money if
he would carry a note through to Mr. Mitford, at once undertook the
mission. Mr. Renshaw, on being told what was arranged, wrote a note
stating their position, and Jack, divesting himself of the greater
portion of his clothes, crept out through the door at the back of the
house, and lying down at once began to crawl through the potato patch
towards the upper end of the clearing. From the loopholes of the windows
the defenders watched his progress. Although aware of his approximate
position they were soon unable to trace his progress.

"He will do," Mr. Atherton said; "if we, knowing the line he is taking,
can see nothing move you may be sure that those fellows in the bush will
not be able to make him out. Well, we shall have assistance in four or
five hours if Mitford's hands are free."

A quarter of an hour passed and all was still quiet.

"He is in the bush by this time," Mr. Atherton said; "now we can take
matters easy."

An occasional shot was fired from the bush, and shouts raised which Mr.
Renshaw interpreted to be threats of death and extermination.

"They say that all the white men are to be driven into the sea; not one
left alive on the island."

"Well, we shall see about that," Mr. Atherton said; "they are not
getting on very fast at present."

As time went on it was only the occasional crack of a gun, acc