said Ledyard, placing his hand on his wife's shoulder
and speaking in English, "these are friends. They have come to warn us.
That young hell-pup, Charlik, is attacking us tomorrow. But quick, girl,
get something for these gentlemen to eat and drink."

But North and the harpooner were too excited to eat, and, seated
opposite their host, they listened eagerly to him as he told them of his
plans to repel the attack; of the bitter hatred that for ten years had
existed between the people of Leasse and the old king; and then--he set
his teeth--how that Se, the friendly sister of the young king, had once
sent a secret messenger to him telling him to guard his wife well, for
her brother had made a boast that when Leasse and Mout were given to the
flames only Cerita should be spared.

"Then, ten days ago, Mr. North, thinking that this young tiger-cub
Charlik knew that these people here were well prepared to resist an
attack, I left in my cutter on a trading voyage to Ponape. Three days
out the vessel began to make water so badly that I had to beat back. I
only came ashore yesterday."

He rose and walked to and fro, muttering to himself. Then he spoke
again.

"Mr. North, and you, my friend"--turning to Macy--"have saved me and
those I love from a sudden and cruel death. What can I do to show my
gratitude? You cannot now return to your ship; will you join your
fortunes with mine? I have long thought of leaving this island and
settling in Ponape. There is money to be made there. Join me and be my
partners. My cutter is now hauled up on the beach--if she were fit to go
to sea we could leave the island to-night. But that cannot be done. It
will take me a week to put her in proper repair--and to-morrow we must
fight for our lives."

North stretched out his hand. "Macy and I will stand by you, Ledyard. We
do not want to ever put foot again on the deck of the _Iroquois_."

CHAPTER III

The story of that day of bloodshed and horror, when Charlik and his
white allies sought to exterminate the whole community, cannot here be
told in _all_ its dreadful details. Seventy years have come and gone
since then, and there are but two or three men now living on the island
who can speak of it with knowledge as a tale of "the olden days when we
were heathens." Let the rest of the tale be told in the words of one of
those natives of Leasse, who, then a boy, fought side by side with
Ledyard, North, and Macy.

* * *