Part 92 (1/2)

Don was sleeping peacefully as Jeroan, for his left shoulder was very painful and stiff

”Wonder how long wounds take to heal,” he said softly ”Cuts arn't h-ho-huo to--”

He was asleep almost as soon as he lay down, and directly after, as it seeati standing a few yards away, shading his eyes and gazing down the gully, and Don poking hiet up I--Oh, it's you, Mas' Don”

”Quick, Je to his feet and seized the spear offered to hiati came forward, brushed the ferns about so as to destroy the traces of their bivouac, and then, holding up his hand for silence, he stood listening

A faint shout was heard, followed by another, nearer; and signing theully, with the strearound was rapidly rising; but they were forced to hurry along, for every time they halted, they could hear the shouts of their pursuers, who see on with a pertinacity that there was no shaking off

It was hot in the extre to refresh theati cautiously picking and breaking in places where the disarrangement was not likely to be seen Every now and then, too, they saw his, which he carefully placed in the woven bag he had made

This went on till he had nearly a couple of dozen, at which, as he trudged along, Jeer and weariness, Don could not help adully opened out sufficiently for hi toward a fine cone, which stood up high above a cluster of mountains, the silvery cloud that floated fro plainly of its volcanic nature

”_Tapu_! _tapu_!” Ngati said, every ti after that he co of the chiefs words, that the place was ”tapu,” or sacred, and that it would act as a refuge for them, could they reach it, as the ordinary Maoris would not dare to follow theher up the valley, where the waters were dashi+ng furiously down inthe bed of a river, whose source was so fro, often over the round, he saw that they were onceupon a volcanic district Pillars of steaurgling noise arose froes of a mud-pool, so hot that it was painful to the hand

Fro fainter each tirew louder, died away, and grew louder again

Don looked inquiringly at Je, Mas' Don”

”Nonsense!”

”Nay, that's what it is; and what I say is this It's all ell getting away froati--”

The chief looked sharply round

”Yes, I' about you, old chap I say, you're not to take us right up that mountain, and into a place where we shall tu his head, and pointing toward the stea savage!” cried Jeati took it as a co to a cluster of rocks where a jet of stea forced out violently, he led the way there, when they had to pass over a tiny stream of hot water, and a few yards farther on, they caht fount of the loveliest sapphire blue, with an edge that looked like a ed every here and there with crystals of sulphur

”Let's have a bathe!” cried Jeerly ”Is there tie in his hand, when Ngati seized his shoulders and dragged hi that for?” cried Jem

The Maori stepped forward, and made as if to dip in one of his feet, but snatched it back as if in pain Then, srass into a band, fastened the end to the pals, into the sapphire depths, a jet of stea to the surface as the basket sank

”Why, Je copper”