Part 12 (1/2)

Moreover, to judge froree with thely The priests rushed forward, threatening us with their wooden weapons, and one of them even aimed a blow at Bickley, which only missed him by an inch or two

”Look here, , ”you name me the Great Priest or Great Healer, do you not? Well, be careful, lest I should show you that I can kill as well as heal!”

Not in the least intireat bedizened felloho literally was foaain, his club raised, apparently with the object of dashi+ng out Bickley's brains

Suddenly Bickley lifted his revolver and fired Theinto the air and fell upon his face--stone dead There was consternation, for these people had never seen us shoot anything before, and were quite unacquainted with the properties of firear a noise They stared, they gasped in fear and astonish us alone with the two dead men

”It was time to teach thee, and, seizing the deadpit

”Yes,” I answered; ”but presently, when they have got over their fright, they will co; he seemed too dazed at the turn events had taken

”What do you suggest?” asked Bickley

”Flight,” I answered

”Where to--the shi+p? We ht hold that”

”No; that is what they expect Look! They are cutting off our road there To the island in the lake where they dare not follow us, for it is holy ground”

”How are we going to live on the island?” asked Bickley

”I don't know,” I replied; ”but I am quite certain that if we stay here we shall die”

”Very well,” he said; ”let us try it”

While ere speaking I was cutting Bastin's bonds ”Thank you,” he said ”It is a great relief to stretch one's arms after they have been compressed with cords But at the sarateful Theabove me, so to speak, and now it has vanished into the pit, like that man whom Bickley murdered”

”Look here,” exclaimed the exasperated Bickley, ”if you say much more, Bastin, I'll chuck you into the pit too, to look for your hto shi+ft the responsibility for that unfortunate man's destruction on to me--”

”Oh! shut it and trot,” broke in Bickley ”Those infernal savages are co the van”

So we ”trotted” at no mean pace As we passed it, Bastin stooped down and picked up the head of the ie of Oro,to the apples, and bore it away in triumph

”I know it is scorched,” he ejaculated at intervals, ”but they inal false God Now they can't, for there's nothing left”

As a er, for our pursuit was very half-hearted indeed To begin with, now that their first rage was over, the Orofenans ere fond of us had no particular wish to do us to death, while the ardour of their sorcerers, ished this very reatly cooled by the mysterious annihilation of their idol and the violent deaths of two of their coht be reduplicated in their own persons So it caer

We reached the edge of the lake where was the boat-house of which I have spoken already, travelling at little more than a walk Here we ood luck was al to custom, must be ainst surprise at the boat-house door When he was ready we slipped in and took our seats, To in after us, and pushed the canoe, now very heavily laden, out into the lake

Here, at a distance of about forty paces, which we judged to be beyond wooden spear-throe rested upon our paddles to see ould happen

All the crowd of islanders had rushed to the lake edge where they stood staring at us stupidly Bastin, thinking the occasion opportune, lifted the hideous head of the idol which he had carefully washed, and began to preach on the downfall of ”the God of the Grove”