g on the black sand,
sleeping, or eating and drinking in the most careless, indolent way.
Now all were in a state of the wildest excitement, and as Don saw the
great stalwart fellows come running here and there, armed with spear and
stone axe, he felt that he had misjudged them, and thought that they
looked like so many grand bronze figures, suddenly come to life. Their
faces and nearly naked bodies were made hideous with tattooing marks;
but their skins shone and the muscles stood out, and as they all grouped
together under the orders of Tomati and Ngati, both Don and Jem thought
that if the party they had seen were coming on to the attack, the
fighting might be desperate after all.

In less time than it takes to tell, men had been sent out as scouts; and
pending their return, Tomati led the way up the path, after the women
and children, to where, to Don's astonishment, there was a strong
blockaded enclosure, or _pah_, made by binding great stakes together at
the tops, after they had been driven into the ground.

There was but one entrance to the enclosure, which was on the summit of
a rock with exceedingly steep sides, save where the path zigzagged to
the top; and here every one was soon busy trying to strengthen the
place, the spears of the men being laid against the stockade.

"May as well help," said Jem, sturdily. "I'm not going to fight, but I
don't mind helping them to take care of themselves."

They set to and aided in every way they could, Ngati smiling approval,
patting Don on the back, and then hurrying away to return with two
spears, which he handed to the two young men.

"My pakeha!" he said; and Jem gave an angry stamp, and was about to
refuse to take the weapon, when there was a yell of excitement from all
in the _pah_, for one of the scouts came running in, and as he came
nearer, it could be seen that he was bleeding from a wound in the
shoulder, and that he had lost his spear.

As if nerved by this sight, Don and Jem seized the spears offered for
their defence.

"Yes, Mas' Don," said Jem; "we shall have to try and fight; seems to me
as if the war's begun!"

A wild shriek followed his words, and Don saw that they were but too
true.

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE.

WAR.

Tomati soon showed the reason for his elevation to the position of chief
among the Maoris, for, in addition to being a man of commanding presence
and great strength, his adventurous life had given him quickness and
decision in