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To go on board would perhaps mean that those ruffians would shoot us down before we were alongside. No, we'll stay here and take our chance. Banderah says he feels pretty sure that he can protect us from his own people. They'd never dare to hurt him; and I think that will steady them a bit," and he pointed to the fence, upon which, at intervals, were tied green cocoanut boughs.
Deighton into Taya's arms and looked back. "My God! he's going up to Burrowes' house! Come, Banderah," and he started back again, "he'll be speared or shot before he gets there." Just as the missionary reached the door and began in feeble, exhausted tones to call out, Blount and the chief caught up to him, and seizing his hands dragged him away again down the hill.
Your two friends are both murdered. Banderah is now at my house, too exhausted to tell me more than to come and save you." "Dear, dear me! Oh, this is dreadful! Let us, Alice, my dear, seek Divine " "You fool!" and the trader seized the missionary by the arm as he was about to sink upon his knees.
In other words, Banderah, although by no means averse to the poorer natives of the island adopting Christianity in a very free and modified form, and contributing a certain amount of their possessions to the missionary cause, was yet a heathen, and intended to remain one. For Mr. Deighton he had conceived a personal liking, mingled with a wondering and contemptuous pity.
Then, before the missionary and his wife could realise what was happening, Banderah had run to the beach, swam to the boat, seized the painter, gained the shore again, and pulled her along till opposite the trader's house, just as Blount and Taya, supporting Mrs. Deighton between them, were leaving the house to meet him.
At last the work of plunder was over, and then Blount saw a swarm of black, excited savages, led by two or three "devil-doctors" or priests, advance towards the house. At the same moment Banderah, looking seaward, saw that the boat had left the schooner and was pulling ashore.
These had just been placed there by Banderah himself, and meant that the house was tapu it and all in it were sacred. "God grant it may!" said Mr. Deighton, and looking at the mystic sign, the use of which he had so often tried to put down as a silly, heathenish practice, he felt a twinge of conscience.
You know what to do white men walk along swamp to shoot duck, then one, two," and Captain Bilker made a motion with his right hand that was perfectly comprehensible to the chief. Banderah sat perfectly quiet on his mat and watched the captain return to Burrowes' house, from where a short time after he emerged, accompanied by his two fellow-conspirators. Then the three of them hailed the schooner.
He remained there for nearly an hour, and then came out again, and looking about him for a few moments, made direct for Banderah's house, which stood about three hundred yards back from that of the American trader. When close to the chiefs house the captain of the Starlight raised his head, and Banderah caught sight of his features and recognised him.
"You lie," said Banderah quietly, but with a danger spark in his eye, "man-o'-war no make you fas' for a long time after you steal my men. Plenty people tell me you make two more voyage; then man-o'-war catch you an' make you fas'." "Don't you believe 'em, Banderah," began the ex-blackbirder, when the chief interrupted him "What you do with my brother?" he said suddenly; "he die too, in Fiji?"
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