like, it would be some aid to us in case of need."

Ned's advice was too good to be neglected, and accordingly we set to
work and cut down some young trees and branches; and taking the huts as
a centre, we threw up a sort of breast-work, sufficient to assist in
protecting us while we knelt down to fire.

We had by this time become very anxious at the prolonged absence of
Manco and the Indians; and I greatly feared that they might have been
surprised by the Cashibos, and murdered. The sun was casting the tall
shadows of the trees across the forest glades, and still they did not
come. At length I determined to mount one of the horses and go in quest
of them. Just, however, as I was putting my foot in the stirrup, a shot
was heard close to us, and then another, and several arrows came
glancing between the trees, but falling short of the camp. Directly
afterwards one of our Indians burst through the brushwood, an arrow
sticking in his side. With a look of terror, he pointed towards the
point from which he had come, uttering the words "Cashibos--Cashibos."
Having broken off the head of the arrow, and drawn out the shaft, I told
the poor fellow to run into the camp; I sprung on my horse, and dashing
forward with my rifle in my hand, I saw Manco and the two other Indians
contending with a dozen or more Cashibos. Manco had shot two of them;
but the rest, undaunted by the unexpected effect of the new instrument
of death he held in his hand, were on the point of rushing in upon him
with their clubs. I saw there was not a moment to be lost, and forcing
my way through the tangled mass of creepers and shrubs which lay between
us, I reined up for an instant, and took a steady aim at the leading
savage. He fell to the ground with a yell of rage, and I then, without
stopping to load again, dashed on towards the next.

"Well done, mate, well done," I heard Ned shouting behind me. "Knock
the rascals on the head; that's the way to settle them."

So astonished were the savages with the sudden apparition of me and my
horse, that I had struck one fellow to the ground before he had time to
defend himself. Ned took aim at a third, and wounded him; but the
savages, rendered more furious, still came on with menacing gestures.
Manco had during the interval reloaded his rifle, and singling out
another savage, brought him to the ground. This made the rest once more
halt, and seeing me loading, they were on the point of taking flight,