ements were not made a moment too soon. The
savages, as we have said in a former chapter, rushed towards their
village from all quarters, on hearing the thunder of the great guns.
They were now arriving in scores, and came rushing over the brow of the
neighbouring hill, and down the slope that rose immediately in rear of
their rude homes.

On finding that the place was occupied by their enemies they set up a
yell of despair, and retired to a neighbouring height, where Ole could
see, by their wild gesticulations, that they were hotly debating what
should be done. It soon became evident that an attack would be made,
for, as their comrades came pouring in, the party from the settlement
was soon greatly outnumbered.

Seeing this, and knowing that the party under command of Henry Stuart
would naturally hasten to his aid as soon as possible, Ole sought to
cause delay by sending out a flag of truce.

The natives had been so long acquainted with the customs of the
Europeans that they understood the meaning of this, and the chief of the
tribe, at once throwing down his club, advanced fearlessly to meet the
Christian native sent out with the flag.

The message was to the effect that if they, the enemy, should dare to
make an attack, all the women and children then in the hands of the
settlers should have their heads chopped off on the spot!

This was a startling announcement, and one so directly in opposition to
the known principles of the Christians, that the heathen chief was
staggered and turned pale. He returned to his comrades with the
horrifying message, which seemed to them all utterly unaccountable. It
was quite natural for themselves to do such a deed, because they held
that all sorts of cruelties were just in war. But their constant
experience had been that, when a native became a follower of the
Christian missionary, from that moment he became merciful, especially
towards the weak and helpless. Counting upon this, they were stunned as
well as astonished at Thorwald's message; for they believed implicitly
that he meant to do what he threatened. They did not know that Ole,
although a worthy man, was not so earnest a believer in all Mr Mason's
principles, but that he could practise on their credulity in time of
need. Like the missionary, he would rather have died than have
sacrificed the life of a woman or child; but, unlike him, he had no
objection to deceive in order to gain time.

As it turned out, his t