“But Arthur understands all that, far better than you or I,” interrupted Browne, once more, “and it is clear that the poor child stands in mortal dread of this man.”
“I was going to add,” resumed Morton, “that even if this danger does exist, it is entirely out of our power to afford him protection against it: we should merely throw away our lives, in a desperate and unprofitable attempt. It may seem unfeeling to talk of giving him up; but will not these people be far more likely to act with cruelty, both towards him and us, after being excited and enraged by a fruitless opposition? I have spoken frankly: but whatever is soberly determined upon, however unwise in my view, I will abide by.”
“I admit,” answered Arthur, “that there is little prospect of success in a conflict with them: but I regard our fate as certain if we submit, and we can but be slain in resisting. I am so fully satisfied of Atollo’s designs in respect to him, that I should feel in giving him up, as if I were an accessary to his murder.”
“Let us rather defend ourselves to the very last extremity,” said Browne, earnestly, “if we are so unfortunate as to be found.”
“If,” said Max, with an excited air,—“if I really believed they would kill Eiulo, I should say, never give him up, whatever the consequences may be;—and I do think this Atollo must be an incarnate fiend. I don’t believe it will make any difference in their treatment of us whether we resist or not.”
“O no!” cried Johnny, who had been listening eagerly to this conversation, while Eiulo stood looking wistfully on, as if he knew that it concerned him. “O no! don’t give him up to that wicked man. I would fight, myself, if I had my bow and arrows, but they took them away from me: can’t we hide ourselves in the banyan tree?—they never will think of looking for us there?”
“That is not a bad suggestion,” said Morton, “and if we should be discovered, it is a strong place to defend. We can move easily and quickly about on that strong horizontal framework of branches, and it will be a hazardous undertaking to climb those straight smooth trunks, in our faces.”
It seemed, in fact, as if a party stationed upon the roof, (as it might be termed), of this singular tree, would occupy a vantage-ground from which it would require strong odds to dislodge them, and the assailants, unless provided with fire-arms, or missile weapons, would labour under almost insurmountable difficulties.
Arthur discovered a place where it was easy to climb quickly into the tree, and requested us all to note it particularly, in order that we might effect a retreat without loss of time, if it should become necessary. Johnny and Eiulo were to take refuge there at the first alarm.
Browne proceeded to cut a number of bludgeons from stout saplings, which he then deposited in different places among the branches, ready to be used, in defending ourselves, if pursued thither. Max collected a quantity of large stones, and fragments of rock, along the shore, and from the bed of the brook, and wrapping them in parcels of leaves, he hoisted them into the roof of the grove-tree, and secured them there.