Part 101 (1/2)
”You're right enough, boy Stop six lad of your help”
This set Don at rest, and he brightened up wonderfully,al froati cut up wood for fencing, he fancied he saw so convinced him that this was a fact, but he could not make out what it was Soon after, as they were seated at their evening ot loose,” said Gordon
”No, it was not a sheep”
”Well, what could it have been? There are no anis which have run wild”
”It looked as big as a sheep, but it was not a pig,” said Don thoughtfully ”Could it have been aon all fours?”
”Hullo! What's theup sharply, as one of his two neighbours came to the door with his wife
”Well, I doan't know,” said the settler ”My wife says she is sure she saw a savage creeping along through the bush behind our place”
”There!” said Don excitedly
”Here's t'others co,” said Je-house was a hundred yards below, caun in hand, in company with his wife and sister
”Here, look sharp, Gordon,” he said; ”there's a party out on a raid We came up here, for we had better join hands”
”Of course,” said Gordon ”Co yourselves at shadows, and--”
He stopped short, for Jeati sprang to the corner of the big log kitchen and caught up a spear
”Mike and them two beauties, Mas' Don!” cried Jeriht--ten--twelve--about thirty Maori savages, and three white ones Hand round the guns, Don Lavington You can shoot, can't you?”
”Yes, a little”
”That's right Can we depend on Ngati? If we can't, he'd better go”
”I'll answer for hiati,”--he pointed out of theand then tapped the spear--”bad pakehas, bad--bad, kill”
Ngati grunted, and his eyes flashed
”Kill pakehas--bad pakehas,” he said in a deep, fierce voice ”Kill!”
Then tapping the Englishood,”
he said s Don by the arht, sir,” said Je fast We can keep the as they don't try fire And look here, I hate bloodshed, neighbours, but those convict scoundrels have raised these poor savages up against us for the sake of plunder Recollect, we are fighting for our hory uns were quickly exa door barricaded with boxes and tubs, the woh a trap-door to huddle together in the roof, where they would be in safety
”So long as they don't set us afire, Mas' Don,” whispered Jem
”What's that?” said Gordon sharply