possession, and ammunition in abundance, he would
there have some chance against a dozen savages devoid of fire-arms.

If in the event of their being armed with bows and arrows they attacked
from below, it was not likely that they would have the best of it
against fire-arms aimed from above. If on the other hand they forced the
door of the dwelling and tried to reach the branches from the inside,
they would find it very difficult to get there, owing to the narrow
opening, which the besieged could easily defend.

Godfrey said nothing about this to Tartlet. The poor man had been almost
out of his mind with fright since he had seen the proa. The thought that
he might be obliged to take refuge in the upper part of a tree, as if in
an eagle's nest, would not have soothed him in the least. If it became
necessary, Godfrey decided to drag him up before he had time to think
about it.

The night passed amid these alternations of fear and hope. No attack
occurred. The savages had not yet come to the sequoia group. Perhaps
they would wait for the day before venturing to cross the island.

"That is probably what they will do," said Godfrey, "since our flag
shows that it is inhabited! But there are only a dozen of them, and they
will have to be cautious! How are they to know that they have only to
deal with a couple of shipwrecked men? No! They will risk nothing
except by daylight--at least, if they are going to stop."

"Supposing they go away when the daylight comes?" answered Tartlet.

"Go away? Why should they have come to Phina Island for one night?"

"I do not know," replied the professor, who in his terror could only
explain the arrival of the blacks by supposing that they had come to
feed on human flesh.

"Anyhow," continued Godfrey; "to-morrow morning, if they have not come
to Will Tree, we will go out and reconnoitre."

"We?"

"Yes! we! Nothing would be more imprudent than for us to separate! Who
knows whether we may not have to run to the forest in the centre of the
island and hide there for some days--until the departure of the proa!
No! We will keep together, Tartlet!"

"Hush!" said the professor in a low voice; "I think I hear something
outside."

Godfrey climbed up again to the window, and got down again almost
immediately.

"No!" he said. "Nothing suspicious! It is only our cattle coming back to
the wood."

"Hunted perhaps!" exclaimed Tartlet.

"They seem very quiet then," replied Godfrey; "I fancy t