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Chapter IV
On a Lonely Road

Meanwhile, at about the same time as Ron and his companion were watching the Hauhaus depart, Isbel Cameron was running madly through the scrub on the hill below "The Poplars" in search of her baby brother. Her breath came in little sobbing gasps, and she wrung her hands distractedly. Gone was any thought of danger to herself, and fear of savage enemies who might be lurking on the hill. Her one impulse was to find Hughie.

After a time her frenzy left her. She leaned against a stout ngaio-tree and sought to recover her breath. But her thoughts were racing madly. What could have happened to her precious charge? Had he been snatched up by a party of marauding Maoris? Or had he suddenly wakened, and, finding himself alone in the scrub, toddled off in search of her? Over and over again she reproached herself for having left him; but he had been slumbering so peacefully that she had thought it better not to take him with her when she went across to the shed.

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Her breath was coming more evenly now, and her knees did not feel so weak. So she started out on her search again, but in a more systematic fashion. First of all she went downhill toward the creek. It gave her some comfort to reflect that the water in this part was so shallow that even had Hughie gone this way, he could have been in no danger of drowning.

But the creek-bank gave no sign of him, nor was there any answer to the urgent calls she gave while standing there. Isbel therefore retraced her steps, and, calling the baby softly as she went, proceeded back to the place where she had laid him down, in order to see if she could find any marks that would inform her of the direction he had taken.

The coat was there, just as she had put it on the fern. There was no sign of any disturbance; neither, by scanning the adjacent ground, could she notice that any other than herself and her small brother had been there. Utterly exhausted, Isbel sank down on the coat.

"Oh, Hughie, Hughie," she sobbed, "where are you? And Ron too? I know that the Hauhaus have killed Ron! But Hughie must be somewhere near, lost in the bush; and if I have to stay here for days I must find him before I can get help to page 55Mrs Johnston and Tom. Oh, heaven help me, what can I do?"

When she again felt calmer she rose, and picking up the coat started to search farther afield. This time she went uphill toward the road, reasoning that from the brow of the hill she would have a better chance of securing help for both Mrs Johnston and herself.

It was difficult travelling, for the scrub in this part was thickly intermingled with bush-lawyer that tore her dress and scratched her face and hands; but, resolute in purpose, she fought her way onward until she reached the top.

Here she sank down into the scrub and looked out along the road. Then, hardly daring to believe in her own eyes, she rose again and sped swiftly out after a very small figure that was wandering across the highway.

"Hughie!" gasped Isbel, catching him up to her breast and hugging him with all her strength. "Oh, Hughie, where have you been?"

"Went to get more milk for Bel," Hughie answered. "Chased pitty cow!" He gave her a loving embrace and added: "Naughty Bel leave Hughie in bush!"

"It was a naughty Isbel too," she agreed, commencing to carry him down the road. "But if page 56ever Isbel has to leave Hughie again, he must just stay where she puts him and he mustn't move until she comes back. Does Hughie understand?"

"Ess. Stay still," replied the little fellow.

Evidently, thought Isbel, the cow, coming crashing through the scrub again, had wakened Hughie, and the baby had toddled along after it. She thanked God that his footsteps had been directed toward the road rather than into the bush, for had it been the deeper forest into which he had wandered she might have spent hours searching for him and even then, perhaps, she might have missed him altogether.

When she had been walking along for about an hour the road took a sudden turn to the right and ran through a considerable tract of high, gloomy forest. Beyond that, she knew, there was a bushman's whare,¹ and she was hopeful that if she could reach it she might find some food for Hughie, who was again complaining of hunger. But she did not think it wise to traverse the road just here. The bush might hold an ambush. She decided, therefore, to turn into the forest itself rather than risk the forbidding stretch of road. So, promising Hughie some food when they should page 57reach the other side of the bush, she struck boldly into the gloomy depths, and, using as her guide such glimpses of the sun as she could obtain, made her way between the great trees.

Her arms fairly ached with the burden of the heavy baby, and it seemed to her that she was making mere snail's progress; but after an hour's travelling she saw a wall of light in front of her, and soon afterward she emerged into the open.

To her delight the whare was still standing. Either the Hauhaus had not noticed it, or else they had passed it by in their desire to obtain greater loot at the farmhouses further on. Nevertheless, she stood quite still and watched carefully for any signs of life about the place before she ventured to approach any nearer.

She found the whare deserted. The door was not barred, and opened easily at her touch. She put Hughie down on one of the bunks, and commenced ransacking the only cupboard for something to eat. Isbel herself was feeling faint with hunger, and Hughie was getting positively vociferous in his demands for food.

She was overjoyed to discover the better part of a loaf of home-made bread, a lump of cold boiled mutton, and a pot of melon jam. Before many minutes had passed Hughie was contentedly page 58eating bread and jam, while she attacked the mutton ravenously.

When both had had all they wanted Isbel found an old newspaper, and carefully wrapped up the remains of the feast. She also took some oatmeal, a little sugar and a drinking-pannikin; and, rolling everything in her coat, she fastened it on her back by means of some flax-twine which she rummaged from a corner. Then, going outside, she selected a piece of charcoal from the open fireplace. With this she wrote across the rude table of the whare:

"Send help to Mrs Johnston at once. I am trying to reach Roro," and signed her name, "Isbel Cameron."

From the position of the sun she judged that by now it must be some time after noon; and as yet she had met no one. That meant that she could not hope to reach the settlement before nightfall. For an instant her courage forsook her at the thought that she might have to spend another night in the bush; but at the same time she tramped bravely on, doing her best to keep Hughie entertained. Needless to say, she was continually on the alert for any approaching danger.

The road now lay through an apparently endless tract of swampy country, overgrown with toe-toe, page 59flax, and raupo. It was land such as made no appeal to the early settlers, owing to the difficulty of draining it. Consequently, for many miles about, there was no sign of cultivation, not even a roughly constructed hut being visible as far as the eye could reach. A lonely, desolate piece of country, this, and in the midst of it a winding road along which trudged a sturdy girl of thirteen carrying a heavy baby!

Just after sunset she came to a depression in the road through which ran a little creek. Here she rested, removing her shoes and stockings and bathing her tired feet in the cool, clear water. She undid her bundle, and mixing some of her oatmeal and sugar in the pannikin, moistened it, and gave it to Hughie. Forlorn though she was, she smiled at the wry face he made over the improvised porridge. Then they both ate what was left of the bread and jam, and had a drink of water; and, putting on her shoes again, Isbel wearily took up her burden and continued her journey.

It was after dark when she left the swamplands and came into bush country again, but now she was too utterly tired to forsake the road. She had but a vague recollection of this part of the district, for the Camerons were stay-at-home page 60folk who seldom left their own fireside. She seemed, however, to remember dimly that about a mile farther on the road that she was now traversing met the main highway that ran from Roro to Turanganui. Toward reaching that spot she now bent every energy. It was becoming harder to walk with every moment; and Hughie, who had fallen asleep, was such a dead weight as almost to paralyse her arms.

The crossroads at last! Isbel dragged herself into the bush and laid Hughie down. Panting, she threw herself on the ground beside him and lay motionless, utterly exhausted.

A sudden sound of tramping feet made her start up and lean forward, heart beating rapidly. With eyes that filled quickly with terror she saw a dreadful procession coming along the road from the direction of Turanganui.

"The Hauhaus!" she shuddered. "Oh, heaven help me, what will I do if Hughie wakes up!"

There were, perhaps, two hundred of them, wild, fantastic figures, clearly revealed by the light of the torches they carried. Isbel noticed that in addition to their tomahawks most of them had rifles. They seemed mad with the frenzy of their horrible creed; and as they passed by her place of concealment some of them struck into a page 61wild marching-song that conveyed to the terrified girl an impression of ferocious purpose:

"Kira
Wana
Tu
Tiri
Wha!
Teihana!"

If the noise should waken Hughie! Isbel crouched beside him and involuntarily one hand stole over his mouth in order to stifle the little cry which she knew he must utter on rousing. But he slumbered as peacefully as though he were in his own little cot at home, and the moment of danger passed.

When the last of the awful figures had gone by Isbel sent up a little prayer of thankfulness, and stood up in order to stretch her cramped limbs. But at the same time she thought she heard some one moving stealthily through the bush. Yes, there was no doubt of it. Some one was approaching, and what was more, was coming with apparently unerring footsteps toward the very spot on which she was standing!

She could bear no more. As the stranger came up to her Isbel Cameron gave a little moan and sank fainting at the feet of a Maori.