e resolved to protect him to the extent of our ability.

By this time we had somewhat regained our self-possession, and stood
grasping our weapons, though not anticipating any immediate attack.
Much to my surprise, Atollo had during the conference manifested neither
anger nor impatience. When Arthur announced our refusal to comply with
his demand, he merely noticed with a smile our belligerent attitude, and
advanced into the brook as if about to come over to the islet, swinging
a long curving weapon carelessly by his side, and followed by the other
savage.

Browne, holding his club in his left hand, and a heavy stone in his
right, stood beside me, breathing hard through his set teeth.

"The foolish heathen!" exclaimed he, "does he expect to subdue us by his
looks,--that he comes on in this fashion?"

It did, in fact, seem as though he supposed that we would not dare to
commence an attack upon him, for he continued to advance, eyeing us
steadily. Just as he gained the middle of the brook, three or four more
savages came out of the forest, and one of them ran towards him, with an
exclamation which caused him to turn at once, and on hearing what the
other eagerly uttered, with gestures indicating some intelligence of an
urgent and exciting character, he walked back to the edge of the wood,
and joined the group gathered there.

A moment afterwards, Atollo, attended by the messenger, as he appeared
to be, plunged into the forest, first giving to the others, who remained
upon the shore, some direction, which from the accompanying gesture,
appeared to have reference to ourselves.

Johnny and Eiulo had already climbed into the Aoa, whither we stood
ready to follow, at a moment's notice. The group of savages opposite us
seemed to have no other object in view than to prevent our escape, for
they did not offer to molest us. Soon after Atollo disappeared, two
more of his party came out of the wood, and I immediately recognised one
of them, who walked stiffly and with difficulty, seeming but just able
to drag himself about, as the scarred savage with whom Browne had had so
desperate a struggle. We now thought it prudent to effect our retreat
into the tree without further loss of time, but at the first movement
which we made for that purpose, the natives set up a shout, and dashed
into the water towards us, probably thinking that we were about to try
to escape by getting to the further shore.

They pressed us so closely t