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Rifle and Tomahawk

Chapter XV — News of Isbel

page 196

Chapter XV
News of Isbel

hori moved unerringly toward Ron. "There are six men behind me!" he whispered sharply. "Lie hidden where you are until they have come up. Then go down by the rope and wait for me on the other side of the creek. I will follow you presently!"

He turned away abruptly and hastened toward the palisade.

With the greatest care Ron turned and wormed his way deeper into the scrub. He was not an instant too soon. One after another the six Hauhaus drew themselves up and disappeared into the pa.

Ron waited no longer. The descent was more difficult than the ascent had been, and the projecting rocks and branches scratched and tore at his hands and face. He was grateful enough to feel his feet upon the ledge once more. To go down the ladder and through the tunnel was the work of very few moments. He emerged from behind the vines and whistled softly for Jock.

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The bushman appeared instantly. "Thank heaven you're back, lad!" he said fervently. "I've never liked any business so little in all my life. What with savages coming down and others going up my poor brain's fairly addled. I thought you said yon was a secret tunnel!"

Ron chuckled. "One of them was Hori," he said.

"Oh-o!" remarked Jock. "The plot's thickening! And the others—did you see them?"

"Rather! They passed me while I was on the ledge. What might their business have been?"

"Water-party," replied Jock briefly. "They filled gourds at the creek yonder. Well, what did the Weka have to say?"

"Very little. He seemed in a tearing hurry. But he's coming down soon. Let's get over the creek and wait for him."

They crossed the creek. Jock inquired whether Ron had heard anything of Isbel.

"No," answered Ron almost fiercely, "but, please heaven, we'll get word of her presently!"

Tingling with impatience they concealed themselves in the bush and awaited a sign from Hori.

It seemed an age before it came, three soft calls of a weka. Ron replied to the signal, and in a short time Hori approached their hiding-place. page 198He seemed distressed on finding Jock in Ron's company.

"My secret is known?" he asked sadly.

"Only to the three people who snatched you from Ropata, Hori," responded Ron quickly. "And not one of us would reveal it did our very lives depend on it! Isn't that true, Jock?" he demanded, turning to the bushman.

"Indeed, it is!" exclaimed Jock warmly.

"Hori te Whiti is then fortunate in his friends," said the Maori youth. "I will trust in you, my brothers, as you will, never in vain, I hope, put trust in me! What is it you wish of me now? The same that took you into the dangers of Te Kooti's pa?"

"The same, Hori," replied Ron gravely. "I thought I might be able to learn something of what had befallen my sister."

"The sister of my friend!" exclaimed Hori, in deep astonishment. "What has the sister of my friend to do with Ngatapa? Is she not even now safe at Turanganui?"

Ron's heart sank. If Hori did not know anything of Isbel's fate his own chances of rescuing her from Ngatapa were slight indeed. More, it was not possible that she was alive.

His voice broke as he answered. "Oh, Hori, page 199Haven't you seen her? Isn't she a prisonei in the pa? Or did the Hauhaus kill her?"

Jock here interposed. "Perhaps our friend's business has taken him away from the pa and he hasn't heard the news." He recounted briefly Te Kooti's raid on the Arai Bush.

"This is indeed fearful news!" muttered Hori, in great distress. "Yes, it is true. I have been away on a long journey. Te Kooti would have little cause to take a prisoner, with so many starving within his pa, unless—unless——"

"Unless what, Hori?" asked Ron, his voice trembling with emotion. He thought of Kereopa the Eye-eater, and he closed his eyes involuntarily.

"When I hid the sister of my friend in the whare in the peach-grove," said Hori slowly, "I was almost certain that no one would come near her hiding-place. I say I was almost certain, for in these unhappy times no one can be quite sure about anything. So in case the Hauhaus should find her, I told her of a way in which she might try to save herself and the little brother she loved so much. It is just possible that when the Hauhaus came upon her at Arai she might have remembered that way. So be of good cheer, Roni—it is possible that the sister of my friend yet page 200lives. And you have been looking for Hori, to get news of her?"

"I could not think why it was you didn't come," Ron said.

"I have been to Taupo," responded Hori quietly. "I took messages to the King, Tawhaio, to Rewi Maniapoto, and to Te Heu Heu."

"That's grave news for us," exclaimed Jock. "If Te Kooti gets those great chiefs to join him the war will spread like wild-fire, and there's no telling where it will end."

"I do not think Tawhaio will lend Te Kooti his aid," said Hori decidedly. "He seems very angry about the Turanganui murders, and Te Heu Heu does not think much of Te Kooti's fighting qualities, so he will make no trouble. Rewi—yes, perhaps Rewi will be influenced by Te Kooti, but Rewi is of a turbulent, proud character, and he has not forgiven the pakeha for taking his lands after the battle of Orakau."

"Has Rewi many fighting-men?" asked Jock.

"About six hundred, I think," replied Hori. "But we waste time in talking thus. Now, I have made my plan. I will go up into Ngatapa, and see what I can discover. Do you, my friends, await me here. I will return as soon as I can without fear of discovery; and I pray, Roni, that page 201I may be able to bring you the good news that the sister of my friend is unhurt."

He checked Ron's stumbling words of thanks, and glided away.

"Yon lad's pure gold," remarked Jock. "Now, Ron, comfort yourself. We're in for a weary wait, and it'll do you no good to get upsetting yourself before we know the truth."

The bushman saw that Ron's anxiety had reached fever point; and he endeavoured through the long hour of waiting to keep the talk moving. To this end he unburdened himself of many a curious incident of his roving life; and Ron, despite himself, began to fall beneath the fascination of his friend's conversation.

A chance remark let fall by Jock made him prick up his ears.

"And was your home really in Scotland, Jock?" he asked.

"It was, and it is," answered Jock grimly. "That's if I like to go back and claim it. But they needn't fear, any of the clan of them, that I'll ever set foot inside the door of Castle MacBean again."

"Castle MacBean!" exclaimed Ron. "That sounds very grand, Jock."

"It is a grand home," replied Jock. "There page 202Isn't a prouder in the Highlands, nor is there a prouder clan than mine."

"Then your name isn't Abler at all?" queried the boy.

"No, lad. My true name is John Abler Mae-Bean, and you are the only other person but myself in this country who knows it."

"But why did you change it, Jock? And why did you leave your home?" Ron was becoming excited. He was actually learning Jock's secret after many months of speculating as to what it might be.

"I was accused of something I didn't do," answered Jock moodily. He relapsed into silence so dejected that Ron could not question him more.

And then Hori returned, a Hori who walked so gladly and whose mien was so joyful, that they knew he must be the bearer of good tidings.

"Isbel?" cried Ron.

"She lives."

Overcome by the splendid news, Ron sat down on the ground abruptly. Hori watched him silently for a second or two. Then seating himself beside his friend he imparted to him what he had learned in the pa.

"The Hauhaus raided down on Arai Bush because they were short of food," he explained. page 203"They killed two pakehas, as you have no doubt heard. Te Kapu led the party. He is a chief, and a good fighter, and has much influence with Te Kooti. The sister of my friend came upon the Hauhaus quite suddenly. She tried to flee, but they surrounded her, and if she had not been such a good runner they would have killed her very soon. When she saw that she could not escape she did something very wise. She remembered what Hori te Whiti had told her and she ran straight toward Te Kapu. Ere he could prevent her she had seized hold of his mat, and made herself tapu. It is an old law of the Maoris that he who draws over him the mantle of a chief becomes sacred. Not a Hauhau among that wild and savage band would harm her. Te Kapu owes her protection while ever he remains alive."

"But supposing he were to be killed during the fighting, Hori?" asked Ron. "What would happen to Isbel then?"

"She would be killed also," replied Hori simply.

"That settles it," remarked Jock with decision. "We must somehow contrive to get the lassie out of Ngatapa before the assault is made."

"Oh, Hori, do you think there is a chance that she could escape?" cried Ron imploringly. "Couldn't you help us do something?"

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"My brother has no need to ask that. I will do all that I can," answered Hori.

"Then could we make a plan?" asked Ron. "Perhaps we could manage to get into Ngatapa to-night!"

Hori shook his head. "There is no chance of that. I looked over the position when I went up to ascertain what had befallen the sister of my friend. She is with the women, who surround her like a flock of chattering tuis, and I saw that it would be impossible to exchange any words with her. To-morrow, perhaps, I may be able to speak with her, when the women are busied with their cooking-pots. No, my brother, until to-morrow night we can do nothing but have patience."

"It is easy for you to talk of patience," sighed Ron. "But the thought of my only sister up in Te Kooti's pa nearly drives me mad!"

Hori sighed. "I know, Roni," he said softly. "Believe Hori te Whiti when he says he knows all that you feel. Rather would he know that his bones would soon be whitening in a far valley of the Urewera, than have the sister of his friend away from the shelter of her home and her loved ones!"

The Maori put such feeling into his words that Ron looked at him sharply. "Why, Hori!" he exclaimed.

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"It is, indeed, true," replied Hori. "The sister of my friend is as the precious Kahurangi, the richest greenstone which my people set at a value far above that of any other of their possessions. She will never dream, I hope, that she is the star whose white fire leads Hori onward, to brave the desperate doom of an outlaw in order that one day he may stand forth among his own people, and have her know that he did right."

"But … but——" stammered the bewildered Ron.

"Maori and pakeha walk by different ways." Hori seemed to interpret Ron's very thoughts. "But that shall not prevent the one having a silent love for the other—and mine will always be a silent love, Roni—you may be sure of that!"

Ron was struck dumb by Hori's unexpected revelation. The Maori youth went on: "Now, I have thought very deeply over the matter of setting the sister of my friend free. As I have said, we can do nothing to-night. But there is to-morrow, and to-morrow night at an hour after dark, if you will meet me in this place, I will bring you news, and we will decide upon our plan."

"Hori is right, Ron," said Jock. "We will leave the lassie to his care for the present, and page 206pray that by to-morrow night we may be able to get her out of yon pa."

Impatient as he was, Ron could not but agree with these wise councils. Accordingly the two pakehas took their leave of Hori, who remained standing motionless until they were lost in the gloom.

They brought their news to Captain Barry, whose unfeigned gladness at the fact that Isbel was so far unharmed warmed Ron's heart. Soon the intelligence was spread through the camps, and a subdued cheer went up from the Rangers, Evans leading it. A runner who was going back to Turanganui was entrusted with a despatch for Major Blair, who was asked to have the news sent through to Mr and Mrs Cameron at Arai Bush as soon as was possible.

Captain Barry was exceedingly interested in the discoveries Ron had made in connexion with the secret tunnel. By the light of a camp-fire he worked out the approximate position of the entrance, and marked it down on a military map.

"Quite possibly that creek below the precipice has been Te Kooti's only water-supply," he exclaimed thoughtfully. "It was lucky that Abler saw the Hauhaus filling their gourds there. To cut off Te Kooti's only source of obtaining water page 207would mean a big thing to us. Yet I dare not interfere with the tunnel until your sister is rescued, for the Hauhaus would immediately remove the rope, and our chance of getting her out of Te Kooti's clutches would vanish. No, the secret of the tunnel must be kept for a little while yet."

Then Ron mentioned Hori's visit to Taupo, and the messages that his friend had taken to Tawhaio and the two chiefs, Te Heu Heu and Rewi Mania-poto. Captain Barry looked grave.

"It is marvellous how strong Te Kooti's influence is," he remarked. "The Weka is no doubt right about Rewi. Rewi is becoming restless in his exile in the King country, and I should not be surprised if he joins up with Te Kooti. That is what makes it so important that we should take Ngatapa as soon as we are able. Once we either have captured Te Kooti, or have forced him out, and hunted him into the Urewera country, I for one will be able to breathe freely. As it is, the white population of this country is literally sitting upon the edge of a volcano. No one could foresee what might happen if Te Kooti should induce the hordes of Tawhaio and Te Heu Heu to come to his aid."

Presently Captain Barry dismissed Ron, remarking that he must carry the news from Taupo to page 208Colonel Whitmore; and Ron went back to the fire at which he had left Jock.

The bushman was engaged in preparing supper. For the first time that night Ron realized that he was ravenous. Bacon and biscuit both tasted delicious, and there was a long draught of sweet creek water to finish the meal.

Jock then produced his pipe and lit it; and Ron, making himself a bed of scented bracken, lay-down before the fire. His whole mind was fixed upon the morrow.

Before he settled himself down for the night he looked yearningly up toward the peak of Ngatapa.

"Good night, Isbel dear!" he muttered softly. "To-morrow night Hori and I will come for you…."