AN END TO DIFFICULTIES.

Daylight found the little party steadily advancing, but the blacks were in pursuit, and Oliver pa.s.sed along the line to have a short conference with Panton, leaving Drew, Smith, and Wriggs to form the rear guard.

"Glad to see you, old fellow," said Panton. "I was afraid I had said good-bye when you were left with that powder keg."

"But I haven't a scratch, only a little burn. What are you going to do?"

"Get to the sh.o.r.e if I can, and try and find and take possession of their canoes."

"Impossible," said Oliver, decisively. "Look here, we are on the way to the old crater. Let's get to that natural fort. Once up there and inside the great volcano wall we can easily keep these wretches at bay, and they cannot burn us out there."

"No, but--"

"We must give them a severe lesson, and beat them off. It is our only chance."

"Anything for the best," said Panton. "Very well, then, I'll turn off, and we'll hold that piece you remember where it was so steep, and--"

"Yes, just where the leopard sprang out."

"Good," cried Panton, and he went on at the head of the men, while Oliver halted till Smith and Wriggs came up with Drew.

"Speak the truth, Tommy," Wriggs was saying. "Yer can't be hungry enough to eat a black, so don't tell no lies."

"Where are we for?" said Drew, anxiously.

"The old crater, to make that a fort."

"Hooroar," said Smith, in a low voice. "Splendid. Billy, old chap, that place was just runnin' in my head, as being a good spot for a fight."

"Then the sooner we are there, the better," said Drew, "for the wretches are close behind."

"And going to shoot," said Oliver, raising his piece, and firing back both barrels rapidly, the buck shot with which they were charged breaking through the leaves and twigs and eliciting a savage yell.

"He's got it, Billy," said Smith, "and sarve him right."

Some little trifle later, after being much hara.s.sed, the retreating party were offering themselves as prominent marks to the blacks, as they climbed up the outer slope of the old crater, but very soon after they began to reach shelter, and at last they lined the top of the mouldering wall, while the blacks hesitated to approach, for the deadly powers of the whites' guns had become more and more acknowledged. Hence the fugitives were glad to rest a little, and refresh with water from the lake and such sc.r.a.ps of food as they happened to have, though the refreshment was princ.i.p.ally black-looking pig-tail tobacco, Smith and Wriggs having their pipes and beginning to smoke.

The hours glided on, and at first every now and then an arrow was shot with bad aim into the natural fortification, but by degrees these were less frequent, and at last the only sign made by the enemy was a little group of men armed with club and spear watching them from the bottom of the slope.

"What do they mean to do?" said Oliver. "Starve us out?"

"Seems like it," said Panton. "Well, it won't take long, unless we can live on water. Wonder whether there are any fish below here in the lake?"

"If there are, we have no means of catching them," said Oliver, sadly.

"I'm thinking that our only chance is to a.s.sume the aggressive now, and drive them off the island."

"I'm afraid there would not be many of us left to do the driving, before we had finished," said Panton.

_Boom! Crash_!

"Ah, if you would erupt in real earnest, and frighten the black ruffians away, you would be doing some good," he continued, as the volcano made itself evident.

"Hi, look out!" cried one of the men. "They're coming on again." For a sudden movement was visible in the group below them, and they had hardly seized their weapons to bring them to bear, when Smith suddenly uttered another warning shout, as he came back from the edge of the lake to which he had descended for a drink.

"All right, we see them," cried Oliver.

"No, you don't, sir!" yelled the sailor. "Look! look yonder."

A chill of despair ran through all as they glanced in the direction pointed out by Smith, for there, coming rapidly round by the edge of the lake, were some fifty of the enemy, who had evidently kept their attention while a part of their force had managed to penetrate the dense forest, to where they could scale the crater wall nearly on the opposite side, and then descend to the lake, so as to come and take them in the rear.

"What shall we do, face both ways and fight?" said Panton.

"Madness!" cried Oliver. "There's hope for us yet. This way."

He began to descend rapidly, and then led the party along by the side of the lake, leaping from stone to stone, till he reached the spot where the waters flowed out slowly into the cave.

"In with you, quickly!" he cried; but some of the men hesitated. "Lead the way, Smith, and we'll cover you. Quick!"

Smith plunged in, and now his messmates followed, and so hardly were they pressed that the foremost blacks came bounding up just as Oliver and Panton backed slowly in, keeping their pieces towards the entrance, and firing twice as some of the enemy began to follow.

These shots and the darkness checked them, and they vented their disappointment by howling with rage, and sending arrow after arrow splintering against the roof or rocky sides, and making the hollows echo dismally.

With a little care, though, sufficient distance was soon placed between the fugitives and their pursuers, while a bend in the pa.s.sage-like entrance protected them from the arrows, which were deflected as they struck the walls, and after a time these ceased, and all waited for the next development of the attack.

"They will not dare to come in here," Drew said; "these people are too superst.i.tious to enter such a hole."

"Not when they have lights," said Oliver, sadly. "Smith, can you lead the men farther in? You know the way. Forward."

It was time, for all at once bright rays flashed from the surface of the little river, and shone upon the rocky walls, as with shout and yell the blacks once more came on, and though shot after shot was fired they still pressed forward, evidently determined to avenge the deaths of so many of their party.

But the burning wood they bore helped the retreating party, and rendered the bearers plain objects for the marksmen, while the deafening roar of echoes after every discharge had its effect, and checked the savages more than seeing one or two of their number drop.

But still they came on, forcing the little party back till the sharp bend was reached, and all pa.s.sed round into absolute darkness and the fearful roar of the failing waters.

"They'll never come along here, surely," said Panton, with his lips to his companion's ear, as they slowly retreated, backing, hand in hand, and guiding themselves by one pa.s.sing his foot along the edge of the river's bank.

It was a vain hope, for lights soon flashed round, and the great cavernous place was more and more lit up, the shadowy black figures darting here and there, and sending an arrow whenever they fancied they could see one of the sailors.

"Our last chance," shouted Panton, excitedly. "We must stand at bay yonder, on the point, and sell our lives dearly. We'll wait till they come close up, and then begin sending volleys, half firing while the others reload. What do you say!"

"That is what I thought," said Oliver, "but would it be possible to go on?"

"What, past the falls? Impossible."

"It's that or death," said Oliver, sternly.--"Yes? What is it?"

"I says, would you like me to show 'em the way now, sir?" yelled Wriggs in his ear, for he had edged up unseen.

"What, down there, man?" said Oliver, with a shudder, as he looked over into the darkness. "Impossible."