“Soma better dodge that little fire eater,” muttered Holman.  “I thought him a coward last night, but it looks as if he’s a fighter when once he gets started.”

As we were unable to slip down the stone pillar in the same manner as the natives, we found the piece of rope by which the three dancers had hauled us up to the top, and making it secure upon a stone projection we lowered ourselves to the ground.

“Now,” said Holman, “we must make a new start, and if we get beat in this round we deserve all that the big fiend who has brought all this trouble about can do to us.  Kaipi, you’re a friend of mine for all time.  Shake hands.”

The grinning Fijian shook hands with both of us, and we moved toward the trees, heading in the direction of the spot where Leith had kicked us so vigorously a few hours before.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XVIII

BARBARA’S MESSENGER

We had a healthy respect for the deviltry of Leith and his friends as we turned our backs upon the lonely throne of the centipede, but the cry of “Father” which Edith Herndon had uttered was still ringing in our ears, and we were anxious to get within hitting distance of the big, treacherous ruffian.  A mental review of the engagements made us feel rather light-hearted as we pushed through the tangle.  If there were only six native dancers upon the island at the opening of the conflict in the Cavern of Skulls, we had reduced that number to one, while the bullet in Leith’s shoulder would depreciate his fighting ability for some time.  Outside the carriers, who, as far as we knew, were neutral in the matter, we had as opponents, Leith, One Eye, Soma, and the dancer whose hand had been punctured by Kaipi, and the knowledge that we were more evenly matched brought us some consolation.

But the fact that Edith and Barbara Herndon were in the power of the scoundrel brought thoughts that cast a damper upon the little scrap of joy we derived from reckoning up the casualties of the enemy.  The passion which Leith displayed after receiving Holman’s bullet made us run forward like madmen each time we recalled the diabolical frenzy that he exhibited.  We could not think of a good plan to circumvent the brute.  The jungle hampered and maddened us, and although we knew that we had gone about our work in a blundering fashion, the circumstances were such that we could not improve our strategy in the future.

We plunged on till nearly midnight, then Holman called a halt.

“We must sleep,” he said.  “One can watch while the other two get some rest.”

Kaipi, who declared that he was never less inclined for slumber, agreed to take first watch, and Holman and I flung ourselves down upon the grass.  We had had no slumber on the previous night, and the incidents in which we had taken part had left us exhausted.

It was daybreak before Kaipi awakened us, and the face of the Fijian informed us that something had alarmed him.  He was stretched full length on the ground, listening as only a native can listen, and we waited for his report.  We had much respect for Kaipi’s hearing after checking the signals he made concerning the approaching “tivo” dancer on the previous afternoon.