rce look at him, which told that the shaft had hit
its mark.

"Never you mind about that," he said surlily.

"But you are a lifer, and have run away, haven't you?" continued Jem, in
a bantering tone.

The man's aspect was for the moment so fierce that Don involuntarily
stole his hand towards the pistol at his side. But his countenance
softened directly after.

"That's neither here nor there, mate," said the man. "There's been
chaps sent out abroad who were innocent, and others who have been
punished more than they deserved; and you aren't the sort of fellow to
go talking like that, and making trouble for a fellow who never did you
any harm."

"Not I," said Jem; "it's no business of mine."

"And he isn't the fellow to make trouble," put in Don.

"That he isn't," said the man, smiling. "'Sides I'm a Maori chief now,
and I've got a couple of hundred stout fellows who would fight for me.
Eh, Ngati?" he said, addressing some words in the savage tongue.

"Pah, ha, ha!" roared the great fellow beside him, brandishing his
spear; and seizing the greenstone paddle-like weapon, which hung from
his neck, in his left hand, as he struck an attitude, turned up his eyes
till the whites only were visible, distorted his face hideously, and
thrust out his great tongue till it was far below his chin.

"Brayvo! Brayvo! Brayvo!" cried Jem, hammering the side of the boat;
"brayvo, waxworks! I say, mate, will he always go off like that when
you pull the string?"

"Yes," said the Englishman, laughing; "and two hundred more like him."

"Then it must be a werry pretty sight indeed; eh, Mas' Don?"

"Ah, it's all very well to laugh," said the Englishman good-humouredly;
"but when they mean mischief, it's heads off and a feast."

"Eh?" cried Jem.

"They'll kill a man, and cook him and eat him after."

"Gammon!"

"Gammon, eh?" cried the Englishman; and he turned to his savage
companion with a word or two.

The savage relapsed into his former quiescent state, uttered a loud
grunt, and smacked his lips.

"And so you do do that sort of thing?" said Jem, grinning. "You look in
pretty good condition, mate."

"No!" said the Englishman fiercely. "I've joined them, and married, and
I'm a pakeha Maori and a great chief, and I've often fought for them;
but I've never forgotten what I am."

"No offence meant, old chap," said Jem; and then from behind his hand he
whispered to Don,--

"Look out, my lad; they mean the boat."