They rose from their knees at last.
“We have been taught a lesson,” said this honest fellow; “our ambition was far too overweening. Our lust for gold all but found us a grave.”
They had arrived early at camp, so Tandy and Halcott determined to make another visit to Observatory Hill, for the man had once more signalled.
Extra activity was apparent among the savages in the northern island. It was evident enough now that they would not long delay their coming.
The sun set, and soon afterwards darkness fell, but still the man lingered on the hill-top.
And now they could see a great fire spring up, just a little way from the water’s edge, and soon the savages were observed dancing wildly around it in three or four great circles.
It was evident that some horrible orgie was taking place, and they might easily presume that the medicine-man was busy enough, and that a human sacrifice was being offered up to appease the fiends of war, in which those benighted beings so firmly believed.
Next day, and just after breakfast, on looking towards the hill-top, behold the red British ensign afloat on the flag-pole!
Shortly after this the signalman himself ran in.