murther!" exclaimed Larry, with a mingled look of
contrition and anxiety.

"Depend upon it they'll kill us all," continued Osten.

"And bake an' ait us," groaned Larry.

"Come," said Will, rising hastily as the stunned chief began to move,
"we'll go search for our comrades."

They hurried away, but not before the chief had risen on one elbow and
shaken his clenched fist at them, besides displaying a terrible double
row of teeth, through which he hissed an unintelligible malediction.

They soon found their comrades, and related what had occurred. A
hurried council of war was held on the spot, and it was resolved that,
as a return to the village would ensure their destruction, the only
chance of life which remained to them was to take to the mountains.
Indeed, so urgent was the necessity for flight, that they started off at
once, naked though they were, and covered with blood, paint, and dust,
as well as being destitute of provisions.

All that night they travelled without halt, and penetrated into the
wildest fastnesses of the mountains of the interior. Bukawanga had
already told them, during intervals in the fight when they had met and
eaten their hasty meals together, that the island was a large, well
wooded, and fruitful one--nearly thirty miles in diameter; and that the
highest mountain in the centre was an active volcano. There were
several tribes of natives on it, all of whom were usually at war with
each other, but these tribes dwelt chiefly on the coast, leaving the
interior uninhabited. The fugitives, therefore, agreed that they should
endeavour to find a retreat amongst some of the most secluded and
inaccessible heights, and there hide themselves until a ship should
chance to anchor off the coast, or some other mode of escape present
itself.

The difficulties of the way were greater than had been anticipated.
There was no path; the rocks, cliffs, and gullies were precipitous; and
the underwood was thick and tangled, insomuch that Mr Cupples sat down
once or twice and begged to be left where he was, saying that he would
take his chance of being caught, and could feed quite well on
cocoa-nuts! This, however, was not listened to. Poor Cupples was
dragged along, half by persuasion and half by force. Sailors, as a
class, are not celebrated for pedestrian powers, and Cupples was a
singularly bad specimen of his class. Muggins, although pretty well
knocked up before morning, held on manfully without a