Part 24 (1/2)

That there was urgent need for such a structure was very soon demonstrated, for scarcely had Frobisher and his party penetrated a quarter of a le, when they were saluted by a shower of spears and arrows that stretched no less than thirteen of their nuround, and wounded several others Frobisher ihly into a square for bush, in thehither and thither; and by the voluroans, and cries that arose iht the savage natives a sharp and wholesome lesson At any rate, they retreated in confusion; and soon afterward Frobisher was fortunate enough to discover a spot that would serve admirably as a site for a sort of blockhouse or fort There was a spring of good water sufficient in quantity to supply the needs of his whole force, an open space of ground on which the structure could be built, and an abundance of s with the assistance of the tools fros that Frobisher had thought of sending ashore, after the arms and ammunition

The party was therefore divided, one half re to defend the chosen site, if necessary, while the other half was dispatched to infor up the beach party with the provisions and water-casks, are The boats, Frobisher ordered, were to be hauled as far up the beach as possible, together with the raft, and all of them were to be well secured It was not considered very likely that the savages would attempt to seize the boats, for they would not kno to handle them; but if they did, Frobisher was determined that the task should be ht break theency that would have to be faced, as he dared not leave a sh to be able to leave a large one

When Drake arrived with his exploring party, he informed Frobisher that he, too, had been attacked by a party of the natives, although there had apparently not been so many of them in his case as in that of the captain, and a few shots fired into the jungle had been sufficient to clear the road for them These two incidents served to convince Frobisher that there had been no exaggeration in the tales concerning the dangerous character of the Fores; and he realised that the sooner a stockade and fort of some description could be erected, the better it would be for all of them

The carpenter's chest was therefore at once opened, and the available tools divided a as many as the supply would allow; and while four men with axes started to cut down small trees of a size suitable to make posts for the stockade, others set to ith their cutlasses--for want of better instruments--to mon and root up the scrub hich the site of the proposed fort was covered, putting it on one side for use afterward as a protective hedge Others, again, using the saws, proceeded to cut the trees into suitable lengths as soon as they were felled by the axe their cutlasses as spades, undertook to dig holes for the reception of the finished posts; and the re the labourers, with rifle and drawn cutlass, froes

By midday, when all hands sat down to a hasty meal, the actual erection of the stockade had been commenced, and by the time that darkness had fallen the first line of posts was completed, in the forth of about twelve feet, which perforce had to be left open for that night, since theposted there to prevent any unauthorised persons frohted all round the outside of the stockade, so that no savages could approach without being seen; while light of every description in the interior of the enclosure was strictly forbidden by Frobisher, in order that the advantage should be all on the side of the defenders, in the event of attack

Half a dozenthe twelve-foot gap in the palisading, and two more were stationed at loopholes which had been formed in each of the other three sides, to prevent a surprise from either of those directions Then, rifles and revolvers having been reloaded and piled in different parts of the enclosure, ready to hand, and cutlasses resharpened on the grindstone belonging to the tool-chest and placed close to their owners' hands, the remainder of the little company stretched the the day, and in a few ue and excite and arduous day

Frobisher, however, though extre to the full the responsibility resting on his shoulders for the safety of his men; but he insisted that Drake should do so, for he had been awakeTo keep himself awake, the captain periodically pera the watch fires, which had been placed at a considerable distance fro that theawake and on the alert

But strive as he ainst the temptation to close his eyes, if only for a , even as he walked; and once or twice he awakened to the realisation that he had, for a few seconds, actually been walking in his sleep The unfortunate watch to be roused; and before long Frobisher found that, each time he made the rounds, it was necessary to reawaken the on their rifles or against the stockade

All the while he, too, was becoht, he determined to rouse the second lieutenant and a dozen of the sleepers to take the place of those who had been doing the first spell Accordingly he reeled in through the opening in the stockade, scarcely noticing that the ap were all so nearly asleep that they were quite useless as sentries

It took him some little time, in the darkness, to find the spot where the second lieutenant was lying; and he was just shaking the ht air was rent by ayell, instantly followed by several shrill screaony in quick succession As Frobisher started to his feet in horror he saw the so under the flashi+ng blades of a horde of yelling, shouting, ferocious savages who, at the first wild rush, had broken into the fort, and were now spearing the hapless Chinese sea for their rifles and cutlasses

Hih and get to the front, so that he ree stem the rush until his men could recover their wits; but it could not be done The Chinese were being driven backward and jaht of numbers, until they could htered like sheep The last thing that Frobisher was conscious of was that he was shouting frenziedly for Drake; then so flashed before his eyes, a thousand sparks danced through his brain, and he knew no more

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

japANESE TROOPS TO THE RESCUE

The next thing of which Frobisher became aas that he was in an extre a very considerable amount of pain It also appeared to hiree of war in his ears like the echo of soly resembled a steamer's syren Added to this, he was conscious that there were rees of agony; and finally, as his faculties resuan to realise that he was in a very disagreeable predica his eyes, he waited patiently until the feeling of sickness and dizziness hich he was oppressed had slightly worn off, striving meanwhile to remember how it came about that he ounded in the head, and firmly lashed, with his arms behind hie fire Little by little histhat had taken place, up to the ties, and he himself had fallen unconscious from the blow of a spear haft across his head What, he wondered, had beco the whole of that brief scuffle, and he began to fear the worst for his friend

A reaze when he at length opened his eyes Instead of being bound to the trunk of a tree, as he had previously supposed, he found that he was secured to a stout post driven into the ground, his ar the post, with the wrists lashed together by what felt like rough ropes of native fibre Glancing doard, he saw that his ankles had been placed one on each side of the stake, and secured there by several lengths of rattan; and it was to this that his uncoht was thus thrust forward until it was supported al round him, he saw that a number of similar stakes had been erected in the for fire, the heat from which he had become unpleasantly aware of on his return to consciousness; and to each post was secured the body of a man, supported in the same manner as himself Many of them appeared, Frobisher noticed, to be in a state of entire, or nearly entire, unconsciousness These men were, of course, the Chinese seaes, and had survived, he very greatly feared, only to meet a far aze diligently searched the circle for Drake, and he was beginning to fear that his old friend ures raised its head slowly and painfully, as though just returning to consciousness, and revealed the blood-stained, haggard features of the first lieutenant At the same time Drake turned his eyes in Frobisher's direction, stared blankly at hilad but painful smile--painful because of the slash which he had received across the face; but he refrained fronised that the othersilent--a circumstance very much opposed to his usual nature

That reason soon becaed to twist his head round, with considerable difficulty, and look behind him; for he then saw that he and the survivors of his creere tied up in front of a native For evidently the open space which is to be found in soht-tireat fire shone redly on the low, reed-thatched huts, with their two-foot-high doors, covered with fibre ed to crawl on all-fours; and the reason of Drake's silence becaes theainst the walls of the huts, or seated on low stools before the doors All of the-hafted, broad-bladed spears, and carried, belted to their waists, long-bladed knives, avy blades, so_, or kris; and these they were evidently very ready and willing to use on the least provocation

The natives had all the appearance of people aiting i to take place; and Frobisher realised how very n unconsciousness as long as possible The ”exhibition”, in which the prisoners were undoubtedly to become the principal actors, could hardly take place while the prisoners were still insensible, and therefore not in a fit condition to furnish ”sport”; but there was no doubt that, directly any of thee revels would begin What form these would take Frobisher did not, of course, know; but he could shrewdly guess, by what he remembered to have been told about these folk, that it would be so very horrible, and he shuddered involuntarily

At this ht air that sa note that he believed he had heard at the moment when he had been struck down His sub-consciousness had then attributed the sound to the result of the blow, and he had since thought no ain he had no doubt as to what it really was

It was the deep-toned vibration of a stealance in Drake's direction If there were a stea rescued if communication could possibly be established with her people

The lieutenant had also heard it; and directly his chief's eyes met his, his lips slowly but very distinctly formed one silent word: ”japanese”

It was quite possible at that short distance, and in that strong light, to read from one another's lips, provided the motions were slow and very distinct, and the twoto the situation in which they found theuards, and feigned unconsciousness--a course immediately followed by Frobisher--immediately there see his head in the prisoners'

direction