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"Go find him and Tetaheite; fetch them both here," he said, with an expression of ferocity on his dark face. Timoa looked at him with an intelligent grin. "The white men must die," he said. "Yes," Nehow replied, "the white men shall die."
The very next day after that, Timoa and Nehow came down to Edward Young as he was at work alone in his yam-field. This field was at a considerable distance from the settlement, high up on the mountain-side. The two men had left their weapons behind them. "We's comed for give you a helpin' hand, Missr Yong, if you no lay hands on us," said Nehow.
Sometimes the other native men, Tetaheite and Menalee, joined Nehow and Timoa in working in Young's garden, and afterwards went with them into the bush, where they planned the attack which was afterwards made. At last the lowering cloud was fully charged, and the thunderbolt fell. The planting time came round at Pitcairn, and all was busy activity in the little settlement at Bounty Bay.
Menalee at once agreed to go to the fugitives, say he had stolen the puddings, and would be willing to share them. The two good puddings were to be given to Talaloo's wife and Timoa, the poisoned one to Talaloo himself. For further security Menalee was to carry a pistol with him, and use it if necessary. The assassin was not long in tracking out his countrymen. "You bring us food?" said Talaloo.
The process of interrogation was conducted chiefly by Isabella, alias Mainmast, the wife of Fletcher Christian, and Susannah, the wife of Edward Young; and it was interesting to note how anxious were the native men, Talaloo, Timoa, Ohoo, Nehow, Tetaheite, and Menalee. They were evidently as concerned about the safety of the child as were the white men.
The woods and cliffs rang to the loud report, and Williams fell forward without a cry or groan, shot through the heart. The murderers rose and looked at each other, but uttered not a word, while Timoa recharged his gun. The report had, of course, been heard by every one in the settlement, but it was a familiar sound, and caused neither surprise nor alarm.
Presently, Talaloo's wife rose, and going into the woods, joined her husband. She found him in company with Timoa. "Is Talaloo become a dog that he should be driven to live in the bush?" demanded the man, with a stern air. "The white men are strong," answered his wife, with a subdued look; "the women can do nothing." "You can stay with me here in the bush if you will," said Talaloo.
Before he could re-cock, Talaloo leaped through the doorway, followed by his friend Timoa, and took shelter in the woods. The other four men begged for mercy, said that the two who had just left were the instigators as well as ringleaders in the plot, and promised to hunt them down and murder them if their own lives should be spared.
"Why don't you go on, you brute!" he cried, angrily, at the same time throwing one of his shoes at the musician, which hit him on the shin and caused him a moment's sharp pain. Timoa would not suffer his countenance to betray his feelings. He merely raised the flute to his lips, exchanged a glance with the women, and continued his dismal strain.
"There; oh! ha-a! not so hard," groaned the unfortunate man, as his friend laved the water on his lacerated back. In a few minutes the salt was washed out of the wounds, and Nehow began to feel easier. "Where is Menalee?" he asked, abruptly, as he sat down under the deep shadow of a banyan-tree. "In his master's hut, I suppose," answered Timoa.
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