arted the overhanging weeds
and leaped down. Once in the dry waterway, he was utterly concealed
from view, even had any one been near; but that made no difference with
his precautions. He knew that after savages had lurked, they always
glided, and that what the writers describe as "a snake-like motion" was
something absolutely essential.

Spear in hand and creeping on his hands and knees, the destroyer
advanced along the drain, lying flat and wriggling with much patience
wherever a particularly clear stretch of sand presented itself. Half
way across the field he raised his head with a movement so slow that a
full minute was occupied in the performance, parted the weeds gently
and peered out to get his bearings and ascertain if any foemen were in
sight. There were no foemen, and his progress had been satisfactory.
The remainder of the desperate advance was made with no less adroitness
and success. At last there fell upon the ear of the avenger the sound
of a human voice. He was close to the house, and the morning exercises
had begun!

Here was the moment for the exhibition of all South Sea island craft,
and the moment was about at hand, too, for exhibition of the full
measure of a South Sea islander's ferocity! The islander glided from
the ditch, crept to the house and slowly put forth his head until he
could see around the corner. There, within three feet of him, back to
the window, kneeling beside his chair, was Alf, ostensibly paying deep
attention to his father's unctuous and sonorous sentences, though
really, as Grant could see, engaged in flicking kernels of corn at his
brother in another corner. His jeans trousers were, as a result of his
present attitude, drawn tightly across that portion of his body nearest
to the window, and never fairer mark was offered savage spear! Not a
moment did the avenger hesitate. He poised his weapon, took deadly
aim, and lunged!

Never was quiet of a summer morning broken more suddenly and
startlingly. A yell so loud, so wild, so blood-curdling, ascended from
within the farm-house, that even nature seemed to shiver for a moment.
Then came the rush of feet and the clamor of many voices. Out of doors
ran all the household, the father included, so appalling had been Alf's
cry of apparently mortal agony, to learn the source of all the trouble.
There was nothing to be seen. Not a living being was in sight. It
dawned upon the elders gradually that nothing very serious had