"Thrilling in the extreme," assented Mr. Slyde. "What was it—a taua?"
"More than that; a whole hapu—a strong one too, women and all. They were travelling fast, and heading straight for Kihikihi."
"How far off were you?"
"Barely sixty yards. What saved me was that I was in the bed of a creek, among the ferns on the edge of the water. I had just been going to climb to the top, when I heard a girl laugh. I could scarcely believe my ears. However, I crawled up and peeped through the manuka. Sure enough, there they were, three hundred strong, besides women and children—marching in close order, too. If they had straggled at all I was a gone man."
"So they didn't see you?"
"No. What saved me was a bend in the creek, which they had crossed higher up; so they steered for the other point which they could see—there are some rocks on the bank—and left me in the loop of the circle. If they had struck the creek nearer to me, I must have been seen. But they had camped at the other point, and having had their kai, were marching to recover the time. I was very glad when I saw their backs."
"How long would they be in reaching Kihi-kihi?"
"Not before tomorrow night. Their intention is, of course, to get into Orakau and strengthen the defences. There's only a sufficient number there now to hold the earthworks against a moderate force."
"What do you think the general will do?"