“Yes, he took down the guns and ammunition. We’ve lost our best man.”
They had plenty of opportunity now for keeping under cover, the trees having rapidly sent out young shoots along the edge of the forest where they could, since the passing of the earthquake wave, enjoy plenty of sunshine, and hurrying forward, the pair were not long in catching sight of the masts of the brig.
“Keep up,” said Oliver suddenly, for soon after they had reached to within sight of home Drew had suddenly stopped short. “What’s the matter?”
“Don’t you see?” was the answer. “Quick, keep well under cover.”
“What for?”
“Look at the mainmast! There’s a danger signal flying.”
“Then they have caught sight of the blacks coming on in the distance, and it is a warning to us to look sharp.”
“It’s a warning to us to keep off,” cried Drew, excitedly; “and there goes another.”
Oliver started, and his heart sank, for he saw that at which his companion pointed—a puff of white smoke fired from the foretop, and directly after there was a dull report.
“Look! look!” he too cried, now excitedly, as he pointed between the leaves, for, not half a mile away, and pretty close to the brig, black figures were visible, first two or three, then more and more.