, in
his fleeing to this peaceful place, he had been the means of bringing
three desperate men to perhaps rob, and murder, and destroy, where all
was repose and peace, was too terrible to bear.

One minute he was certain that it was all fancy, just as he had dreamed
again and again of Mike and his ruffianly companions; the next he was as
sure that what he had seen was real.

"I'll go and find some one," he said hastily; and, rising feebly to his
feet, he set off for the farm, but only to catch wildly at the trees to
save himself from falling.

The vertigo passed off as quickly as it came on.

"How absurd!" he said, with a faint laugh. "A moment's giddiness.
That's all."

He started again, but everything sailed round, and he sank upon the
earth with a groan to try and make out whether it was all fancy or a
dream.

In a moment he seemed to be back at home with a bad headache, and his
mother passing softly to and fro, while Kitty, full of sympathy, kept
soaking handkerchiefs in vinegar and water to cool his heated brow.

Then, as he lay with his eyes tightly closed, Uncle Josiah came into the
room, and laid his hand pityingly upon his shoulder.

Don gazed up at him, to see that it was Ngati's hideously tattooed
countenance close to his, and he looked up confused and wondering at the
great chief.

Then the recollection of the convicts came back, and a spasm of horror
shot through his brain.

If it was true, what would happen at the little farm?

He raised himself upon his elbow, and pointed in the direction of the
house.

"Ngati," he said excitedly, "danger!"

The chief looked at him, then in the direction in which he pointed; but
he could understand nothing, and Don felt as if he were trying to get
some great dog to comprehend his wishes.

He had learned scores of Maori words, but now that he wanted to use
them, some would not come, and others would not fit.

"Ngati!" he cried again piteously, as he pointed toward the farm,
"pakehas--bad pakehas."

The chief could understand pakehas--white men, but he was rather hazy
about bad, whether it did not mean good, and he gave a low grunt.

"Bad pakehas. Fight. Jem," panted Don.

Ngati could see that something was wrong, but in his mind it seemed to
be connected with his English friend's health, and he laid his hand upon
Don's burning brow.

"Bad pakehas--go!" cried Don. "What shall I do? How am I to make him
understand? Pakehas. Jem. Help!"

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