as it presented itself to him; but, unfortunately, they were
men who had seldom or never come in contact with white people, and he
soon saw that they did not understand a word he was saying. He was
compelled, therefore, to fall back upon signs; and after a time they
began to comprehend dimly what it was that their leader was trying to
tell them.

When at length he had succeeded in impressing upon them the fact that
the camp was in imminent danger, he took four of their number to one of
the carts, unloaded one of the chests of rifles and one of ammunition,
broke both open, and distributed the weapons and a quantity of
ammunition to each Korean, at the same time carefully instructing them
by repeated action how to load and fire the rifles. Luckily, the men
were quick to learn, and appeared delighted with the weapons, which they
seemed to look upon as presents; but Frobisher fully realised that,
however willing they might be, they would scarcely be able to hold out
long against regular troops, even though the latter were poorly
trained--especially if those troops should appear, as might be fully
expected, in overwhelming numbers.

It was his duty, however, to protect the property committed to his
charge as long as he could; and there was always the possibility that
the rebels at Yong-wol might come part of the way to meet him, and that
the sound of firing might bring them to his assistance. He therefore
selected a rifle for himself, stuffed a quantity of ammunition into his
breeches pockets--the pockets of his coat being full of revolver
cartridges--and then went round, placing his small force of some twenty
men in the most sheltered and advantageous positions he could arrange.
After this there was nothing to be done but to keep a sharp look-out and
await developments.

These were not long in coming. Frobisher had barely found time to get
his men to their places, and to arm himself--having previously enjoined
strict silence, by signs again, of course--when his straining ears
caught slight, rustling sounds in the jungle close at hand. They were
the sounds of bush, fern, and shrub being cautiously pushed aside--the
sounds of the stealthy approach of a considerable body of men; and it
soon became abundantly evident that the camp was entirely surrounded,
and that it was to be attacked from all sides at once.

Frobisher flitted hither and thither silently, peering into the jungle
from between the carts and underneath