ger, now started for
a search through the wood, and presently returned to Percy laden with
nuts and berries.

"The nuts are sure to be all right; I expect the berries are too. I have
certainly seen some like them in native markets, and I think it will be
quite safe to risk it."

The rest of the day was spent in picking nuts and eating them. Then
they sat down and waited for the arrival of their friend. He came two
hours after nightfall with a wallet stored with provisions, and told
them that he had regained the village unobserved. The attack had been
repulsed, but with severe loss to the defenders as well as the
assailants; two of their guards had been among the killed. The others
had made a great clamour over the escape of the prisoners, and had made
a close search throughout the village and immediately round it, for they
were convinced that their captives had not had the strength to go any
distance. He thought, however, that although they had professed the
greatest indignation, and had offered many threats as to the vengeance
that Government would take upon the village, one of whose inhabitants,
at least, must have aided in the evasion of the prisoners, they would
not trouble themselves any further in the matter. They had already
reaped a rich harvest from the exhibition, and would divide among
themselves the share of their late comrades; nor was it at all
improbable that if they were to report the matter to the authorities
they would themselves get into serious trouble for not having handed
over the prisoners immediately after their capture.

For a fortnight the pilot nursed and fed the two midshipmen. He had
already provided them with native clothes, so that if by chance any
villagers should catch sight of them they would not recognize them as
the escaped white men. At the end of that time both the lads had almost
recovered from the effects of their sufferings. Jack, indeed, had picked
up from the first, but Percy for some days continued so weak and ill
that Jack had feared that he was going to have an attack of fever of
some kind. His companion's cheery and hopeful chat did as much good for
Percy as the nourishing food with which their friend supplied them, and
at the end of the fortnight he declared that he felt sufficiently strong
to attempt to make his way down to the coast.

The pilot acted as their guide. When they inquired about his wife, he
told them carelessly that she would remain with her kinsfolk, an