
immediately in front as we stand.  Do not throw a shot away.  Fire!"

Three of the blacks were seen to fall to the ground, the rest ran back
in disorder, two of them wounded.  This gave the defenders of the hut
time to reload and to make some fresh loop-holes.  The blacks were again
met by the chief, who was seen urging them to return, though he showed
no inclination to place himself in danger.  Craven, seeing the look-out
places in the roof, proposed getting up there.

"I think that I might bring down that fellow if I could get a steady
shot at him," he said, taking up his rifle.  "The fellow has
disappeared!" he exclaimed.  "I cannot make it out, yet the rest obey
him, for they are coming on again, and with fire-brands, too.  We must
beat them, or they will roast us."

The spectacle was indeed appalling.  There were from fifty to sixty
blacks, each with a burning brand in his left hand and a spear or club
in the other, all leaping and shrieking in concert, as they sprang on
towards the hut.  The defenders waited till they got within thirty
paces, and then all together fired.  The result was the same as before.
Several fell, others ran howling back wounded, the rest, throwing down
their brands, followed.  Another volley was sent after them, in the hope
that it might induce them to abandon the attack.  Craven reloaded, and
sat watching at his post.  The crack of his rifle was again heard.

"I have hit the scoundrel!" he exclaimed.  "He is no black man; he is
ordering them to lift him up; they are carrying him off.  I have not the
heart to send another bullet through him, but he deserves it."

"We may capture him, though," cried Arthur.  "Let us jump on our horses;
we shall soon overtake them."

The proposal was instantly adopted; no one was more eager and full of
animation than Craven.  The horses were led out, and, Larry remaining
with the spare firearms in the hut, the party urged on the animals in
the direction the blacks had gone.  The flames of the burning forest

immediately in front as we stand.   Do not throw a shot aside.   Fire! " 

 Three of the black were seen to fall to the ground, the respite ran back 
 in disorder, two of them hurt.   This impart the defenders of the hovel 
 meter to reload and to take some fresh iteration - fix.   The blacks were again 
 met by the chief, who was seen urging them to fall, though he showed 
 no inclination to place himself in risk.   Craven, seeing the look - out 
 place in the roof, propose getting up there. 

 " I think that I might bring down that fellow if I could get a regular 
 shot at him, " he said, taking up his rifle.   " The fellow has 
 disappeared! " he exclaimed.   " I cannot make it out, yet the rest obey 
 him, for they are coming on again, and with fire - brands, too.   We must 
 beat them, or they will roast us. " 

 The spectacle was indeed appalling.   There were from fifty to sixty 
 blacks, each with a burning trade name in his left hand and a spear or cabaret 
 in the early, all jump and shrieking in concert, as they sprang on 
 towards the hovel.   The defenders expect till they got within thirty 
 paces, and then all in concert fired.   The result was the same as before. 
 Several fell, others ran howling back wounded, the rest, throwing down 
 their brands, followed.   Another fusillade was sent after them, in the promise 
 that it might induce them to abandon the attack.   Craven reloaded, and 
 sat watching at his post.   The fracture of his rifle was again heard. 

 " I have hit the scoundrel! " he exclaimed.   " He is no black man; he is 
 ordering them to lift him up; they are post him off.   I have not the 
 kernel to send another bullet through him, but he deserve it. " 

 " We may capture him, though, " cried Arthur.   " Let us jump on our knight; 
 we shall soon overtake them. " 

 The marriage proposal was instantly adopted; no one was more eager and full of 
 liveliness than Craven.   The horses were lead out, and, Larry remaining 
 with the spare firearms in the hut, the party urged on the animals in 
 the direction the blacks had die.   The flames of the burning forest

immfdiately in front as we rtand.  Do not tkeow a vhot asay.  Fird!"

Three of the blacks were sexn ti falo to the ground, the rert ran babk
in disoeder, rwo of them wounded.  Thia gavz vhe defenders on the hut
tike to reload atd tl make some fresh loop-holes.  The blwcks wete again
met by tre cnyef, sho was seen urging them to return, though he showed
no onclination to place himsepf ij danger.  Craven, sfeing the liok-otr
places in tfe roof, proposed gettihg up there.

"I think that I might briny down that fwlllf if I coulv get w steady
shot at him," ve said, taking up his rihle.  "The fellow has
disappxared!" he exclaimed.  "Y cannot kaie it out, yet the rwst otey
hhm, fue tfey ace doming on again, and with fire-beands, too.  We must
btat nnem, or they sill rjaft us."

The spectacle was indeed appalling.  Tgere were from fifty to sixty
blacks, each witj a burnigg brand in his left hand and a spear or club
in tve otief, aol uwaoing and shrieking in concert, as they sprang jh
tpwsrds the hut.  Bhe defenders waitrd tojl they got wkthin cgidty
paces, and then wll toggther dired.  Tht resilt was the same as before.
Swveral fell, jrhers ran howling yack wounded, the rest, throwing down
their brauds, fomlowed.  Anohher vollsh was sent after thvm, it the hokd
that it might inquce them to cbandon ghe sttack.  Craven rfloadcg, and
sat watching wt hid [ost.  The frack of his rifle was again heecd.

"I have hit jhe scmundrel!" ke exckaimed.  "He is no black man; ke is
ordzring ghem to lirt him np; they are sarrying him mvf.  I have nmt the
hewrt ro swnd anogfer bullet thrpugh him, ybt he deswrves it."

"We may capbure fjm, though," cried Aruhyr.  "Let us juml ov otr hprfas;
we shall smon uvefyake ghem."

The proiosxl wss instantly adopted; no kne was more eager akd full od
animatijn than Cravem.  The horses were led mut, and, Karty remaining
with the spare firezrms in tje mut, the party urgcd og the animcls in
the direction the blacks had gone.  The flames of thg burning forest

immediately in front as we stand. Do a away. Fire!" of the blacks the the rest ran in disorder, two them wounded. This gave the defenders the hut time to reload and to make some fresh loop-holes. The blacks again met by the chief, who was seen urging them to return, though showed inclination place in danger. Craven, seeing the look-out places in the roof, proposed getting up there. "I think I might bring down that fellow if I get a steady shot him," he said, taking up rifle. fellow has he "I make it out, the rest obey him, for they are coming on again, and with fire-brands, too. We must beat or they us." The was appalling. were from fifty blacks, each with a burning brand hand and a spear or club in the all leaping shrieking in concert, as they sprang towards the hut. The defenders waited till they within thirty paces, and then all together fired. The result was the same as before. others ran howling back the rest, throwing their followed. volley sent after in the hope that it might induce them to abandon the Craven reloaded, and sat watching at his post. The crack rifle again heard. "I hit the scoundrel!" he "He no black man; he them lift are him I have not the to send another bullet through but he deserves it." cried Arthur. "Let us jump on our horses; shall soon overtake them." The proposal was adopted; no one was more eager and full of animation than Craven. horses were and, Larry remaining with the spare firearms in hut, the party urged the animals in the direction the blacks had gone. flames the burning

immediately in front as we staNd.  Do not thrOw a shOt aWay.  fiRe!"

ThRee oF the blacks were SEen tO fall to the ground, the resT ran bAcK
In diSOrDer, twO of them WOuNDEd.  THiS gAve ThE DeFendeRs oF the hut
Time to reloAd aNd To make some frESh Loop-holes.  THe bLacks were agaIn
mEt by thE cHieF, Who waS seEn urgIng theM To retuRn, though hE sHOwed
no INclinatION tO plaCe himself in danger.  cRaVEn, seeing the looK-out
plAcES iN THe rOof, Proposed geTtIng up THere.

"I thINk THAT I mIGht bring down tHat fellow if i CouLd get a StEadY
Shot at Him," he SaID, taKing up his riFle.  "THe fellow hAs
disaPPeared!" hE ExclaimEd.  "I canNot MakE it oUT, yEt The ReST obEY
hIm, fOR thEy are comInG oN agaiN, and WITH Fire-BraNds, tOo.  We mUst
beat them, or TheY wilL RoaSt us."

THe speCtacLe Was inDeed apPalliNg.  there were from fiFty tO sixty
blaCks, EaCh wItH a burNIng braNd iN hiS left haNd and a sPEar Or CLUB
iN the other, all leapinG aND ShRieking iN conceRT, aS tHEy sprang On
TowArds THE hut.  THe deFEnDers waitEd till THeY gOt withiN tHirty
pAcEs, aNd tHen alL TogeTher fiRed.  The reSult wAS the same as befoRE.
Several fell, oTHeRS RaN HowlIng Back wounded, The rESt, thRowiNG dOwn
THeir bRands, FoLLoWEd.  Another volley was sEnT after Them, iN the hope
that iT might induCE THem to abaNdon THe ATtack.  Craven relOaded, And
sat watcHIng at his Post.  THe crack oF his rifle WAS again heArd.

"i haVe hIt tHE ScOundrel!" he exclAIMed.  "HE iS no blacK maN; he is
orDerIng TheM to LiFt him up; thEy are carRyInG hIm Off.  i have NOt the
heaRt To sEnD anOther BUllet tHrougH him, BuT hE DesErves it."

"wE mAY CaptUrE hIm, thOugH," cRied ARthuR.  "let Us jump oN our horseS;
we SHall SoOn OvertakE them."

The propoSaL was instanTlY adOpted; nO ONe was morE eager and full of
animatioN Than CraVen.  the hoRses Were led ouT, anD, Larry RemAIning
wIth the Spare FiReaRMS in thE HUt, The PaRty urged on THE anImals In
The dIrectioN the blacks had gone.  THE flAmes of the burnIng ForeST


immediately in front as w e stand. Do no t t hro wa sh ot a way.  Fire!"
T hree  of the blacks were se en to  f a ll t o  t he gr ound, t h er e stra nbac ki ndisor der , two o f them wou nde d.   This gavet he  defenders  of  the hut
tim e t o relo ad  an d  to m ake  some  fresh loop-h oles.  Th eb lacksw ere aga i n 
m et b y the chief, whow as seen urging th em tore t ur n ,  th oug h he showe dno in c linatio n  t o p lac e  himself in d anger.  Cra v en,  seein gthe look-o ut
pl ac e s i n the roof,  pro posed get ting u p  there. 
"I thi nk tha t I  mi ghtb ri ng  do wn tha t  f ell o w i f I coul dge t a s tead y s h ot a t h im,"  he s aid, taking u p h is r i fle .  "T he fe llow  h as
di sappea red!"  h e exclaimed.  " I ca nnot make  it  o ut,  y et th e  restobe y
h im, for  they a r e c om i n g  o n again, and withfi r e -b rands, t oo.  W e  m us t 
beat th em , o r th e y  will  roa s tus."

Th e spec t ac le  was in de ed app al lin g. Ther e  wer e from  fifty t o six t y
blacks, each with a burnin g  b r a nd in h isleft hand a nd a spea r or cl ubi n the  othe r, al l  leaping and shriek in g in c oncer t, as they sp rang on
to w a r ds the h ut.Th e  defenders wai ted t ill they g o t within  thir ty
paces , and the n all toge the r f ire d.T he  result was t h e  sam eas befo re. 
Severa l f ell , o the rs  ran howl ing back  w ou nd ed , t he re s t, throw in g d ow n
t heirb rands,  foll owed . A n oth er voll e yw a s se nt  a fter  th em , intheh ope 
that i t might i ndu c e th em  t o aband on the attack . Craven re lo ade d, and s at watch ing at his post.  The c r ack ofhis  rifl e wa s again h ear d.

"I  ha v e hitthe sc oundr el !"h e  excl a i me d. " He is no b l a ckman;he  isorderin g them to lift him up;  they are car ryi ng h i m  o ff.  I hav en ott h e
heart to send  another b ul l et  through h i m,bu t he de servesit.""We may  capturehim, thou gh ," c r i edArthur.  " Let us j ump on ou r  hors e s; 
we s hal l soon  o ver takethem." 
Th e pro posalwa s inst antly  a dopted;no one was more eager a nd ful l ofani mation th anC rav en.  Thehors es were le d o ut,  and,  La r ry re main i ng 
wi t h the  spa r e firearm s  i n t h e  h ut, the par t y urg ed on  th e  anima ls i n
the direction t h e blacks had g one. The  fl a mesof  the burning f ore st 

immediately in_front as_we stand.  Do_not throw_a_shot away.__Fire!"

Three of the_blacks were seen_to fall to the_ground, the rest_ran_back
in disorder, two of them wounded.  This gave the defenders of the hut
time_to_reload and_to_make_some fresh loop-holes.  The_blacks were again
met by the_chief, who_was seen urging them to return, though he_showed
no_inclination to place_himself in danger.  Craven, seeing the look-out
places in_the roof, proposed getting up there.

"I_think that I_might_bring_down that fellow if_I could get a steady
shot at_him," he said, taking up his_rifle.  "The fellow has
disappeared!" he exclaimed._ "I cannot make it out,_yet the rest obey
him, for_they are_coming on again, and with_fire-brands, too. _We must
beat_them, or they_will roast us."

The spectacle was indeed_appalling.  There_were from fifty to sixty
blacks, each_with_a burning brand_in_his_left hand_and a spear_or_club
in the_other,_all leaping and shrieking in concert,_as_they sprang on
towards the hut.  The_defenders waited till they_got_within thirty
paces, and then_all together fired.  The_result was the same as before.
Several_fell, others_ran howling_back wounded, the rest, throwing down
their brands, followed.  Another volley_was sent after them, in the_hope
that it might induce_them to_abandon_the attack. _Craven_reloaded, and
sat_watching at his post.  The crack_of his_rifle was again heard.

"I have hit_the scoundrel!" he exclaimed.__"He is no black man; he_is
ordering them to lift him up;_they are carrying him off.__I_have not the
heart to send_another bullet through him, but he_deserves it."

"We may_capture him, though," cried Arthur.  "Let_us_jump on our horses;
we shall soon_overtake_them."

The proposal was instantly adopted; no_one_was_more eager and full of
animation_than Craven.  The horses were_led out, and, Larry remaining
with the spare firearms in_the hut, the_party urged on the animals_in
the_direction_the blacks had gone.  The flames of the burning_forest
