ers,
when, hearing a shout, we looked round and saw Polo running at full
speed towards us.

"Fly! fly! Hasten, my masters; escape for your lives!" he exclaimed in
eager tones. "The enemy have caught sight of me, and are following.
There are hundreds of them; and they will destroy us all, if they catch
us!"

Though I was at first inclined to believe that there could scarcely be
so much cause for Polo's alarm, yet I saw that my father and Arthur
considered the matter in a serious light.

"Guy, my boy, go at once on board with Marian. Arthur and I will
follow," cried my father.

Captain van Dunk, hearing Polo's shouts, inquired what was the matter.
Polo repeated what he had said to us. "We will shove off at once,
then," exclaimed the skipper. "If the people approaching prove
friendly, we can return and get whatever remains. As prudent people, we
should not longer delay."

I took Marian's hand, and followed by our feathered pets and a couple of
young monkeys in addition to Quacko, we hastened along the stage to the
_Good Hope_. Having seen her safe on board, I was about to return and
assist in bringing the few things which remained, when I caught sight of
a number of dusky forms in the distance, a bristling array of bows and
spears being visible above their heads. The captain shouted to my
father and the rest to hasten their steps, while those on board got out
some long poles prepared for impelling the vessel when in shallow water.

The shouts of the savages rang through the forest. It was very evident
that we had been discovered, and that they intended to attack us. My
father and Arthur came hurrying to the beach; Maco came next, bearing a
load; and Tim, who seemed to consider it a duty to remain till the last
for the defence of his master, brought up the rear. There was no time
to be lost. The captain and Peter stretched out their hands to help
them on board; and no sooner had Tim leaped on the deck than the last
warp was cast off, and the _Good Hope_ began to move into deep water.
At that moment our poor tapir, which had been feeding at a safe
distance, came trotting down to the beach. He could not under any
circumstances have been taken on board, as from his bulk and weight he
would have been too much in the way; but we were very sorry to leave him
behind, especially when we saw him wading into the lake till his head
alone appeared above water.

Our attention, however, was occupied in watching the