xt. We did not any of us like Brown much; but our
misfortunes had drawn us all closer together and we felt his loss
deeply.

"That wasn't the end of our troubles for the day either.

"Resuming our course sadly across the level marshy land which adjoined
the river and apparently extended some distance before we could reach
our last hill, we had just entered within the outskirts of another
forest of jungle when our ears were assailed with the most terrible
yells. The next moment, without the slightest warning, a band of
natives rushed at us with savage cries--hurling spears and darts at us,
before we could put ourselves into a posture of defence--poor, unarmed,
defenceless fellows that we were!"

VOLUME TWO, CHAPTER SEVEN.

RESCUED AT LAST.

"The savages," continued Ben, "in their rapid onslaught on us,
fortunately, missed their aim, only one of us getting a spear-wound
through the body, the rest of their weapons expending their force
harmlessly in the bush, and by the time they were ready for a second go
at us we were better prepared to receive them, although sadly wanting in
the means of defence, only Jem Magellan having a knife. This he at once
drew, however, while the rest of us, using the sticks we had previously
cut in the forest, as I had forgotten to tell you previously, made an
effort to save our lives with the determination of fighting to the last.

"But, Jem was our guardian angel now, as he had been before. Darting at
one of the natives before he was apparently aware of his intention, he
stabbed him through the heart, and then catching him up without a
second's deliberation by his legs, and using his body as a club, he
floored three others in rapid succession. We, too, were not behindhand
with our sticks; and the savages--struck more with consternation at
Magellan's tremendous strength, for he was built like a giant, and stood
over six feet high, than by our prowess--ran away back into the jungle
as fast as they had come upon us; leaving some four of their number
struck lifeless on the ground, besides the one Jem had first settled,
and whom the club exercise to which his body had been subjected had
knocked out of any semblance it had originally possessed to the human
form.

"We breathed hard when the scrimmage was over, for it was warm work
while it lasted; and then, our sadly-lessened little party thinking
discretion the better part of valour, and that our foes might get
reinforced and retur