Nearer and nearer he now creeps to those arrows!
Nearer and nearer!
Now he positions them with his manacled hands.
Then strikes.
In half an hour's time, when Burly Bill entered the cave to inform the prisoners that it was time for them to be on the road, he started back in horror.
Peter, fearfully contorted, lay on the floor of the cave, dead.
————
Some weeks after this the party found themselves once more near to the banks of the rapid Madeira.
Everything had gone well with those captains and peons whom they had left behind, and now every preparation was made to descend the stream with all possible speed, consonant with safety.
They had taken Kaloomah thus far, lest he should return and bring another army to attack them.