You finish 'm bell, you put 'm saddle on horse.
Viaburi, you go quick house belong Seelee he stop, tell 'm plenty black
fella run away--ten fella two fella black fella boy." He scribbled a
note and handed it to Lalaperu. "Lalaperu, you go quick house belong
white fella Marster Boucher."
"That will head them back from the coast on both sides," he explained to
Joan. "And old Seelee will turn his whole village loose on their track
as well."
In response to the summons of the big bell, Joan's Tahitians were the
first to arrive, by their glistening bodies and panting chests showing
that they had run all the way. Some of the farthest-placed gangs would
be nearly an hour in arriving.
Sheldon proceeded to arm Joan's sailors and deal out ammunition and
handcuffs. Adamu Adam, with loaded rifle, he placed on guard over the
whale-boats. Noa Noah, aided by Matapuu, were instructed to take charge
of the working-gangs as fast as they came in, to keep them amused, and to
guard against their being stampeded into making a break themselves. The
five other Tahitians were to follow Joan and Sheldon on foot.
"I'm glad we unearthed that arsenal the other day," Sheldon remarked as
they rode out of the compound gate.
A hundred yards away they encountered one of the clearing gangs coming
in.
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