Part 73 (1/2)

”So they are!” cried Jeht, do it?”

”I don't know, Jem But they can't see us, can they?”

”No These here bushes shades us Let's creep back through the wood, and go and tell 'eet there first”

”We must,” said Don quickly ”Jem, I'm sure of it You can see the spears quite plainly, and perhaps it's a war-party out froet there first”

”And if it's a false alarh at us, Mas' Don”

”Let theer in the way”

Don caught up the basket and backed into the shelter of the trees, keeping in a stooping position, while Jeone, they hurried along the rugged and dangerous path, to spread the alare far belohere they had left the innorance of the danger so close at hand

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN

A PERILOUS DESCENT

The heat was terrible, and it seemed to Don as if the difficulties met with in their outward journey had been intensified on their return

Thorns caught in their gar these, in their flesh

Twice over Jem stepped a little toointo pools of hot etation

Then theysome distance they came out suddenly on a portion of the mountain side, where to continue their course meant that they must clamber up, descend a sheer precipice of at least a hundred feet by hanging on to the vine-like growths and ferns, or return

They stopped and stared at each other in dis, Mas' Don?” said Jem

”No; do you?”

”Not I, my lad Think it must ha' been where I had that last slip into the black hasty pudding”

”What shall we do, Jeo back we shall lose an hour”

”Yes! Quite that; and 'tarn't no good to climb up here I could do it; but it's waste o' tiet down here?”

”Oh, yes,” said Je is, how should we be e did get down?”

”You mean we should fall to the botto one ear as he peered down; ”it wouldn't be a clean fall, 'cause we should scrittle and scruttle from bush to bush, and ketch here and snatch there We should go right down to the bottoot there”

”Jerily ”Do you think it possible to go down?”

”Well, Mas' Don, I think the best way doould be with our old crane and the windlass tackle”