on to Captain
Wilson's, and the poor lady had been found and carried to Taranganui. A
few days later she was sent down to Napier by ship, but expired shortly
after from the effects of her wounds.

In the week that elapsed between the date of the massacre and their
return to the settlement Wilfrid had regained his strength wonderfully,
and the bracing air of the hills and the excitement of the events
through which he passed had acted as a complete restorative. Mr.
Atherton too had completely recovered from his fatigue, and, indeed,
professed himself to have benefited greatly by them, as he maintained
that in three days he had lost as many stone of flesh. The morning after
their return to Taranganui they had a long talk about their plans. It
was settled that Mrs. Renshaw should at once return home. She was most
anxious that Wilfrid should accompany her; but this he would not consent
to.

"No, mother," he said; "it is my duty, and everyone's duty, to aid in
hunting down these murderous scoundrels. They have massacred a number
of people who were very kind to me when I first became ill, and I will
do my best to punish them; besides, until Te Kooti's band is destroyed
there will be no peace or safety for any of the outlying settlements,
and they are just as likely to make an attack on our settlement as any
other; indeed, we are the nearest to them, therefore in fighting here I
am fighting for the protection of our home."

Mr. Atherton also announced his intention of accompanying the column in
pursuit of Te Kooti.

"I dislike fatigue amazingly," he said; "but for several reasons I feel
myself bound to see this affair through to the end. In the first place
they have attacked me and caused me to undergo great fatigue; in the
second, they have murdered a number of my acquaintances; in the third
place I have to look after this boy and see that he gets into no
mischief; and, lastly, it really seems to me that a month or two of this
sort of thing will absolutely reduce me to ordinary dimensions, a thing
which I have for years given up even hoping for."

"Well, Wilfrid," Mrs. Renshaw said at last, "I suppose you must have
your way. I do think that, as you say, it is the duty of everyone to do
all that he can to punish the people who have committed these massacres
upon defenceless people, and it is necessary for the safety of the
settlement that Te Kooti's band shall be destroyed. It is very hard on
us to know that our only son