"Well, that is the truth, Billy; I ar'n't what you call a brave chap, and I can't fight a bit till some one hurts me, and then I s'pose I do let go, 'cause you see I feel nasty and sawage like, but that ar'n't being brave."

"Don't you believe him, gents," growled Wriggs; "he is a brave chap when his monkey's up. You can't hold him then."

"Yah, don't talk stuff, my lad," said Smith, bashfully. "How can a chap be brave as has got two legs as runs away with him as soon as he's scared?"

"Hush!" whispered Drew, "we are talking too loudly. Look here, Lane, and you, Panton: we had better wait for the darkness, and then take our chance of making a dash for the brig."

"And spend all these weary hours in this heat without water. It would be horrible."

"Lie down, and try and pa.s.s the time in sleep, while we watch."

"She's at it again, sir," whispered Wriggs, with bated breath, as he made a clutch at his messmate and held on tightly, for a curious heaving sensation, as of a wave pa.s.sing beneath them, was felt, followed by a deep booming roar from northward.

"Ay," whispered Smith, "and if she'd suck one o' them big waves ash.o.r.e and make a clean sweep o' these charcoal chaps, she'd be doing some good."

"That's so, messmate," growled Wriggs, "for black-skins as can't live in a beautiful country without wantin' to kill and eat their neighbours, oughtn't to be 'lowed to live at all, that's what I says about them.

Here, hold tight!"

He set the example by throwing his arms about a young tree, for there was a peculiar rushing sound as the earth quivered and the trees of the forest bent over and seemed as if stricken by some tremendous blast, though all the time there was not a breath of air.

Then they became conscious of a black cloud rising over the forest beyond the clearing, as if the precursor of some fresh eruption.

"I say, Billy," whispered Smith, "oughtn't this here to scare them sawages?"

"I should say so," replied the other; "all I know is that it scares me."

"Hist--hist!" whispered Drew, as he pointed forward and signed to the others to lie close, for from out of the edge of the forest, about a hundred yards in front, a black head was thrust forth from among the trees.

It was a strange and incongruous sight. Between the hiding party and the black scout of the savages there ran a high wall of dazzling green of many tints, bright flowers hung cl.u.s.tering down, the dazzling sun shone from the vivid blue sky, and every now and then bird and b.u.t.terfly of effulgent hue flitted before their sight; while there, just beyond this strip of glorious beauty, there was the hideous black grotesque head of the Papuan, evidently scanning the side of the forest back towards where they were hidden.

The next minute he had drawn back, but only to spring out with a shout, brandishing his club, while his cry was taken up by fifty throats, as with a roar the whole band rushed into sight, and dashed down towards where the little party lay.

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN.

EARTH'S MYSTERY AT WORK.

Oliver Lane's hands trembled and then became steady as the fierce-looking rout of nearly nude savages came rushing on. No words were spoken in those few brief moments, but it was an understood thing among them all that they were to hold their fire till the Papuans were close upon their hiding place, and then to draw trigger together, in the full belief, or rather hope, that the volley they would deliver would check the enemy, and the following fire from the second barrels complete their discomfiture.

And so during those moments, as Oliver Lane and his companions watched the on-coming rush--moments which seemed to be drawn-out to quite a reckonable s.p.a.ce of time--all waited with levelled piece and finger on trigger for the sudden swerve in amongst them as the savages dashed along the open ground with eyes dilated, teeth gleaming, and a fierce look that betokened little mercy.

But the swerve in amongst the trees never came, no weapons were raised by the on-coming foe, and, to the astonishment of the waiting party, the savages dashed by like a human whirlwind till they were some fifty yards onward toward the sea, when they stopped short and wheeled round to stand looking back as if for the enemy from whom they had fled, while Oliver and his party still crouched there, wondering what was to happen next.

Then came the explanation of the savages' action. They were fleeing from an enemy, but it was no human foe. Nature was at work once more.

There was a peculiar vibration of the earth, a cracking, rending sound, and the earth opened in a jagged rift which ran on steadily toward the enemy, pa.s.sing the edge of the forest where the friends lay, and starting the Papuans on again in headlong flight toward their canoe.

Then came a deep rumbling from the opening, a hot gush of steamy air and a violent report from away in the direction of the volcano, and silence once more deep and profound.

No one spoke for some minutes, as they all strained their ears to catch the returning tramp of the fleeing savages. Then the horror and dread were turned into mirth, perhaps a little hysterical on the part of Oliver and Panton, for Wriggs suddenly rose to his knees, made a derisive gesture with one hand, and then placed it to the side of his mouth and yelled out,--

"Yah! Cowards!"

"Yes, that's it, Billy," said Smith, rising to his knees as well, and brushing away some of the insects which were investigating his person.

"They were all scared because the mountain grumbled a bit. What would some of the beggars have done if they'd been where we went the other day?"

"Ah, what indeed!" growled Wriggs. "I don't see as we've got much call to be feared o' such a set as them."

"Think they'll come back?" said Oliver.

"Well, not till we've had plenty of time to reach the brig," replied Panton, "so let's get on at once. I say, look at old Drew!"

Oliver turned his head to see, with surprise and some amus.e.m.e.nt, that now the imminent danger had pa.s.sed, the naturalist had re-a.s.serted itself, and their companion was eagerly collecting specimens of the wonderful parasitic plants which cl.u.s.tered over a decaying tree-trunk.

Then his own instincts were aroused by the beauty of at least a dozen tiny sun-birds, perfect gems of colour and brilliancy, which were flitting and buzzing almost like insects about the same blossoms, to probe the deep richly-tinted throats with their long curved beaks.

"These are quite fresh," he said, "I must have a couple of specimens."

In his eagerness he opened the breech of his gun to subst.i.tute fresh cartridges containing the smallest shot he had, but Panton arrested him.

"Don't fire," he said, "they may hear you and come back."

_Phut_!

A peculiar sound like a jet of air suddenly shot out of the crack in the earth close by.

"What's that?" cried Panton, excitedly.

"Don't azackly know, sir," said Smith; "but I see a puff o' thin, bluish-looking steam come up out of that bit of a split there."

Panton forgot all about his companions' firing, and ran to the edge of the rift to find that it was not above a foot across, and that a hot flush of steamy air was being forced out with a faint singing noise, while, to his astonishment, the narrow crack which ran to right and left quite out of sight was now gradually and quite perceptibly closing up.

He could see down for a few yards and noted an efflorescence of sulphur rapidly forming on the sides, but this grew fainter and fainter, and was soon lost in the bluish darkness.

"Wonderful! wonderful!" he muttered, as he sank upon his knees and laid the barrel of his gun across to watch the rate at which the crevice closed up, while he bent over from time to time to gaze down, the act necessitating the holding of his breath to avoid inhaling the hot fume.

"I should just like to see one o' them charcoal chaps do that, Billy,"

said Smith.

"Yah! Them!" exclaimed Wriggs, contemptuously. "Why, matey, I'm ashamed o' mysen. That's what's the matter with me."

"'Shamed, what on?"

"Being afeard on 'em. For allus speak the truth, Billy, my poor old mother used to say, and I will now, that I will, and I don't care who hears me."

"Spit it out, then, Billy. There's nothin' like the truth nowheres.

What are you been saying as warn't true?"

"Same as you did, messmate. I said as it was my legs as run away, 'cause they was feared."

"Well, so they was, warn't they? I know mine was."