.

Their arms were spears and tomahawks, and two carried by a stout thong
to the wrist a curiously carved object, which looked like a model of a
paddle in pale green stone, carefully polished, but which on closer
inspection seemed to be a weapon for using at close quarters.

As they paraded the deck, with their quick eyes grasping everything,
they made no scruple about placing their faces close to those of the
sailors, and then drawing themselves up with a conscious look of
satisfaction and self-esteem, as they compared their physique with that
of their visitors.

One of them, a great fellow of about six feet three, and stout and
muscular in proportion, stopped suddenly in front of Jem, at whom he
seemed to frown, and turned to Don, upon whose chest he laid the back of
his hand.

"Pakeha," he said in a deep voice; "Ngati pakeha."

"Tell him he's another, Mas' Don," said Jem.

The savage turned fiercely upon Jem, gripping Don's arm the while.

"Pakeha," he said; "Ngati pakeha. Maori pakeha. My pakeha!"

Then to Don--"You my pakeha. Give me powder--gun."

"Don't you wish you may get it, old chap?" said Jem. "Wants you to give
him powder and gun."

The savage nodded approval.

"Yes," he said; "powder-gun--you give."

A call from one of his companions summoned the savage away, and he
joined them to partake of some rum and water, which the captain had had
prepared on their behalf.

"Won't you come up and have some rum?" said the lieutenant to the
tattooed Englishman in the boat.

"No, thank you; but you may send me down the bottle if you like, sir.
Look here! Shall I show you where you can anchor?"

The lieutenant glanced at his superior officer, and in answer to his nod
turned to the man again.

"Can you show us a safe anchorage?"

"I can show you half-a-dozen, all safe," said the man. "When you like,
I'll lead the way."

"A boat shall follow you, and take soundings."

The first cutter was manned with a well-armed crew, and the lieutenant
stepped in--Don and Jem being two of the number.

The tattooed Englishman shouted something to the men busy on the ship,
and they unwillingly left the deck, slipped down into their canoe, and
this led off, followed by the first cutter.

"Give way, my lads!" said the lieutenant; "and mind this: there must be
no straying off in any shape whatever--that is, if we land. These
fellows seem friendly, but we are only a few among hundreds, and I
suppose you know