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Chapter V
The Whare in the Scrub

Isbel's first sensation on reviving was surprise to find herself still alive. Her next was one of wild affright. Hughie? Not until she had put out her hand and felt him beside her did she venture to open her eyes. When at last she did so, she found herself gazing into the kind, grave face of Hori te Whiti.

"Hori!" she cried. "Oh, Hori, is it really you? I thought you were a Hauhau!"

A bitter smile crossed the Maori lad's face. "And am I not indeed of the Hauhaus? My father and my brothers are even now with Te Kooti's men. Where, then, should Hori be?"

"But I'm sure you wouldn't go about the country burning up houses and killing people!" declared Isbel positively.

"No," replied the Maori. "That thing will Hori te Whiti never be—the slayer of his pakeha friends. The cause of Te Kooti has, perhaps, justice. He may be, as the messages he is sending over the countryside say, the saviour of his page 63people. But I do not like this slaying of women and children, and have sworn, by the gods of my fathers, and by your God to have no part in it."

"Then what are you doing here, so far from home?" asked Isbel, sitting up.

"I am one of Te Kooti's messengers. No," he added, "do not be reproachful, sister of my friend! The office of messenger gives me liberty to come and go. Thus, news of the war will be conveyed to more than one lonely settler, and in those homes at least there will be no children slain this night. But one question deserves another. Why are you and the little brother here, instead of being hidden, as I thought, in the cave? And where is Roni?"

Isbel then recounted her experiences, the Maori listening attentively, and a sympathetic grunt escaping him at various stages of her recital.

"I was right," he said in admiration, when she had finished. "I was right, and my father was wrong. The sister of my friend walked all those weary miles and kept the fire of her courage burning brightly the while. E! Te Kooti shall not prevail against such pakehas as these!"

"Do you think anything dreadful has happened to Ron?" Isbel asked fearfully.

Hori considered the question carefully before page 64replying. "No," he said finally. "I think that wherever he is, he is unharmed. But there were probably enemies between him and you, and he was afraid to go back to the cave lest he should reveal your hiding-place."

"And what of poor Mrs Johnston? Oh, Hori, she was frightfully wounded—and that poor little Tom looked scared out of his wits!"

"We will try to get help to her as soon as we can," answered Hori. "It will not be long now before the news of her condition is abroad. In Turanganui the settlers are arming and redcoated soldiers have been sent for. I could not go to her to-night even if I could do anything for her. Hori's work is here!" and he glanced down at the still-slumbering baby.

"You mean—you will save Hughie?" faltered Isbel.

"And the sister of my friend as well. Do you feel strong enough to walk?"

A short time before, Isbel had been faint and exhausted. The promise of safety held out by Hori completely revived her. She stood up, eager to get away to any place of refuge the Maori boy might suggest.

Hori bent down and lifted up Hughie; and, motioning Isbel to follow him, turned away out page 65of the bush. They crossed the Roro road and struck into some scrub that stood on the other side. Presently they came to a narrow creek, and along this Hori turned, Isbel keeping close at his heels.

"There is a house on the other side of the creek, close by here," Hori told her, as they reached a point where the creek became a mere trickle of water. "The people went away in time, and for some reason Te Kooti would not have the house burned. It is a big place, full of good chairs and paintings. Perhaps he thinks to live in it when he has, as he boasts he will, killed all the pakehas."

"But you are not taking us there?" queried Isbel, appalled at the idea of risking what looked like certain destruction.

"No," answered Hori. "I thought of it at first, but as yet the Hauhau bands are scattered, and I could not feel sure that you would be safe. So I have considered again, and have been able to remember a spot into which no Maori, Hauhau or otherwise, could be persuaded to set foot. We will come to it presently."

"What is it, Hori?"

"It is a whare that stands in a little grove of peach-trees about a mile farther on. The owner was one of my people who worked for the pakehas page 66of yonder house. One morning he was found dead inside his shelter, and since then no Maori will go near it. It is tapu. ¹

Isbel, who knew something of the strict tapu laws of the natives, had heard that the Maoris shunned a house wherein anyone had died; and she agreed with Hori that the whare would afford her a fairly secure haven.

"But I wish that I could get to Roro or Turanganui straight away," she exclaimed wistfully.

"That is impossible for the present," answered Hori. "The band of Hauhaus that you saw was on its way to attack Roro to-night; and until the soldiers come the Turanganui road will be far from safe for you. Have trust in Hori, sister of my friend. He has spoken all he knows."

"But supposing that I have to stay in the whare for some time," argued the girl. "How and where am I to get food for Hughie?"

"I have thought of that too," Hori said patiently. "There are cows in the paddock near by. I will drive one down to the whare, and I will bring other food from the big house. There will be fresh water running by your door. I think you will approve the place when you see it."

His prophecy was fulfilled when they came out page 67of the scrub and crossed the tiny clearing that surrounded the whare. The little hut stood in the midst of a peach-grove. Peeping in and examining it by the light of a stump of candle which Hori produced from his belt, Isbel was pleased to observe that it was clean and sweet-smelling. The floor was of clay, and there was a sackcloth bunk along one wall.

She reported this to Hori, who stood without while she explored.

"It is good," he said kindly. "Now, take the little brother, go inside, and sleep. I will go back and drive down your cow. The clearing that is round this place is well fenced, so once I put her in she will not wander. I will leave other food at the door, and I will bring a bucket for the milk. And have no fear, sister of my friend, either of to-night or of to-morrow. No Hauhau will come near this place. To-morrow, some time, I shall pass this way. When you hear the sudden cry of a weka three times look for Hori te Whiti!"

Isbel tried to thank him, but her tears began to flow, and she could only hold out her hand, which the Maori clasped ere he turned away.

Confident that she and Hughie were indeed safe at last, she went into the whare. She snuggled page 68down on the bunk, and holding Hughie tightly in her arms, she fell asleep almost immediately.

She was awake at dawn, but she lay very still, enjoying the delicious sensation of being able to rest in security. When Hughie opened his eyes she got up and put on her shoes. Hughie's face expressed the utmost astonishment at this new home, and she could not help laughing at the puzzled wonder in his round, blue eyes.

"It's a game, darling!" she told him. "Isbel and Hughie are playing hide from Mummy and Ron!" Then, like a nightmare, the memory of the last two nights came sweeping over her, and she wondered frantically: "Oh, what has happened to Ron?"

"Will Hughie get breakfuss here?" demanded the practical little fellow.

"Indeed he will," replied his sister; and, opening the door of the whare, she found directly in front of it a box. On investigation this proved to contain a quantity of biscuits, two pots of jam, some butter, and about a dozen apples. There was also a clean, white pail for the milk, and oh, joy! two warm rugs. And there, before her, grazing contentedly, was the cow that Hori had promised her!

Hughie munched an apple while she set about page 69the milking, and soon they were making a hearty breakfast. Isbel's terror had entirely passed; and if it had not been for her anxiety concerning Ron's probable fate and her pity for Mrs Johnston she felt that she would have begun actually to enjoy this strange adventure.

She spent the morning playing with Hughie beside the creek. In the afternoon she put him down for his sleep and sat by the door, listening for any signal from Hori. But no weka called three times from the scrub, so when Hughie wakened she took him on her knee and told him stories until milking-time came round again.

They had finished their tea when Isbel heard the signal for which she had been listening all day. It came, sudden and unmistakable—three weak-notes. Bidding Hughie lie down and go to sleep, Isbel left the whare, and shortly afterward Hori came down by the creek.

"All has been well?" was his greeting, to which Isbel thankfully replied.

"I have good news for you," the Maori said. "Good news on the one hand—on the other—none!"

"Ron?" faltered Isbel.

"It is of him I can hear nothing," explained Hori. "All I know is that he has not yet come page 70out of the swamp road. But be of courage for I think that all is well with him. He may be on the road at this moment, travelling by night and hiding by day. And then the road winds, and it would be difficult to see a solitary traveller except from a high hill, and as you know there are none about here. Now for my good news—the soldiers are coming!"

"When?" cried Isbel excitedly.

"I have heard that they will be hereabouts by to-morrow morning," Hori replied. "They are marching from Turanganui to Roro."

"How do you know, Hori?" asked the girl, scarcely daring to credit the welcome news.

"My people have been watching them, and the word has been passed along."

"Has there been any fighting?"

"Not yet," answered Hori; "but blows may be exchanged at any time now. However, behind them are more soldiers and still more, so that by noon to-morrow the road to Turanganui will be safe to travel."

"Have you been able to send any help to Mrs Johnston?" Isbel queried.

Hori shook his head. "All I could do was to send a message to Roro. I have heard nothing since. No word has come down the swamp road."

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"I am afraid, then, that she will be beyond help by now," murmured Isbel sadly. "Oh, Hon, how lucky Hughie and I have been! And we owe all our good fortune to you. I will never forget it!"

"I know that, sister of my friend," responded Hori softly. "Nor will I, on my part, ever fail to remember the courage I met with last night. But pakeha and Maori walk by different ways, and when this fighting is over you will be spoken of as a heroine, while Hori te Whiti will be execrated as one who fought on the side of Te Kooti!"

"But I will tell all the world what you have done for us!" protested the girl.

"And have my own people curse me for a traitor?" asked the Maori bitterly. "No, Hori te Whiti's life must be with his people. Therefore, none but you and I and perhaps Roni must know of the meeting last night by the Roro road. In any thanks you feel to me, promise to keep silent!"

Seeing that he was in deadly earnest, Isbel gave the promise he asked for.

"Now," said Hori, "it is getting dark. Go, then, into the whare and sleep until I call you in the morning. Then we will go back to the cross-page 72roads and meet the soldiers. I shall lie out underneath these trees for the night. Good night, sister of my friend!"

"Good night—but wait one moment, Hori!" exclaimed Isbel, and, darting into the whare, she brought him out one of the rugs.

He took it from her in silence. With another "Good night" Isbel returned to the whare.

They were astir before sunrise, and after drinking some of the milk they started on their journey, munching biscuits as they went. Arrived back at the crossroads, Hori made Isbel hide in the scrub while he went out to reconnoitre. He returned presently with the news that the soldiers were half an hour's march away.

"Shall we go along the road and meet them?" inquired Isbel eagerly.

"No, no. It is better to wait here," he advised. "Much might happen in half an hour. In any case, no one must know that Hori is about. Stay until I give the word, then take the little brother and walk out on the road. We will be patient."

Isbel, while reluctant to disregard Hori's advice, could not help being impatient at the delay. The half-hour seemed to drag by on feet of lead. She had difficulty, too, in keeping Hughie by her side; he was continually wanting to stray out to the road.

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But at last Hori said "Hark!" Isbel could hear the tramp of marching feet, while her heart fluttered wildly. She had never felt more excited in her lifetime.

Tramp, tramp, tramp—they were coming, nearer, nearer! She saw the foremost of them, rounding a sharp turn of the road.

Then it was that Isbel could contain herself no longer. Careless of Hori's advice, regardless of her debt to him, forgetting everything save that her deliverers were coming, she caught up Hughie, and dashing out to the road, ran to meet the soldiers.

Almost at the same moment there came a sharp volley of musketry from the bush on the opposite side of the road, and a party of Hauhaus, emerging from the bush, charged wildly after her, tomahawks lifted.