The next morning we were awoken by hearing a great noise in the village.
We found that we had both overslept ourselves. Dick went to the door
of the hut, to ascertain the cause of the hubbub, telling me to keep
concealed under the mats. After some time he came back.
"I guessed how it is," he said; "the fighting men have returned from the
war, but, as far as I can discover, the old chief is not among them. He
has, I suspect, been knocked on the head, and serve him right too. They
are mourning for him, it seems, and it will be as well to keep out of
their way, lest they take it into their heads to sacrifice us to his
ghost, as I know is the fashion among these savages."
Dick spoke quite coolly, but our danger was great. He again told me to
keep snug under the mats, and I saw him walking up and down the hut,
evidently very unhappy. "I don't care for myself," I heard him say.
"Poor dear Charley, I wish that he was out of the scrape. Well, well;
we have been saved before, and we may be saved again. It's a great
thing to know that God looks after us poor fellows better than we can
look after ourselves." While he was speaking, the noise increased.
Never did I hear such savage shrieks, cries, and howls.
"The people are cutting themselves with knives, and flints, and
spear-heads, to show their grief for their dead chief," observed Dick,
after he had taken another look outside the hut. He sat down, and
seemed considering what he should do. After some time, I heard a
footstep approaching the hut, and the old woman I had before seen
entered.
She looked very anxious, and told Dick he must get out of the way, and
hide himself for some days, when he would be safe. Dick thanked her
warmly.
"You have been kind to me, and you will be kind, I know, to my son; and
if you will hide us away together I shall be happy."
Dick then told me to come forward. The old woman looked very much
surprised at seeing me, and on hearing that I had been taken care of by
Motakee, advised me to go back at once to him, and to take Dick along
with me. There was no time to be lost. Having ascertained that the
coast was clear, she told us to hurry off into the wood, and to make our
way as fast as we could to Motakee's village, promising, if she could,
to put her people on a wrong scent, should they think of pursuing us.
We did as she had advised. We had not, however, got far into the wood,
when, as we were making our way along the hillside, as I looked back
through an opening in the trees, I saw a number of people advancing
towards the hut, shrieking, and shouting, and flourishing their weapons.
There could be little doubt that their intention was to get hold of
Dick. We hurried on, and did not stop till we were far away beyond the
sound of their voices.