He was awakened by hearing some one attempting to open the door—the daylight was streaming in through the crevices—on pulling it aside the slave girl, who had brought their supper, appeared with a basket of food and a bowl of water, as before. The light awoke Lucy and Betsy, who seemed refreshed by their slumbers, though their faces were still pale and anxious. The girl pointed to the food and bade them eat, but seemed unwilling to stay.
“Let us say our prayers, Harry, as we should do at home, before breakfast,” said Lucy, “though we have not a Bible to read.”
They knelt down, and Lucy offered up a prayer of thanksgiving to God for having preserved them, and for further protection, while the Maori girl stood by wondering what they were about. She then hurried away, as they supposed, from having received orders not to remain with them. They were left alone all the morning, and at noon the girl brought them a further supply of food.
“This looks as if the Maoris did not intend to do us any harm, perhaps they expect to get a ransom for us,” observed Harry.
“I trust so,” said Lucy, “and I am sure our friends would pay it should our father and Val be still absent from home; but, perhaps, Hemipo has some other object in carrying us off.”
“What can that be?” asked Harry. “The idea came into my mind, and I fear it is too likely that he has done so, in order to get Waihoura into his power. If she believes that our lives are in danger, she will, I am sure, be ready to do anything to save them,” answered Lucy.
“How should she know that we have been carried away,” asked Harry.
“She will suspect something when our labourers suddenly return to her village, and will send to ascertain what has occurred,” observed Lucy.
“If it was not for your sake, Lucy, I would run every risk rather than let the poor girl fall into the power of the savage,” exclaimed Harry. “I hope that our father and Val, and the volunteers, will find out where we have been carried to, and will come to attack the pah and rescue us.”
“That would cause great loss of life, and, perhaps, seal our fate,” answered Lucy. “I have been praying, and He who does not allow a sparrow to fall to the ground without knowing it, will arrange matters for the best. The knowledge that He does take care of us should give us confidence and hope.”