opposeitspassage。Thisdouble-dealingansweredhispurpose，whichwastokeeptheBugisforcesdividedandtoweakenthembyfighting。Ontheotherhand，hehadinthecourseofthatdaysentwordtotheassembledBugischiefsintown，assuringthemthathewastryingtoinducetheinvaderstoretire；hismessagestothefortaskedearnestlyforpowderfortheRajah’smen。ItwasalongtimesinceTunkuAllanghadhadammunitionforthescoreorsoofoldmusketsrustingintheirarm-racksintheaudience-hall。
　　Theopenintercoursebetweenthehillandthepalaceunsettledalltheminds。Itwasalreadytimeformentotakesides，itbegantobesaid。
　　Therewouldsoonbemuchbloodshed，andthereaftergreattroubleformanypeople。Thesocialfabricoforderly，peacefullife，wheneverymanwassureofto-morrow，theedificeraisedbyJim’shands，seemedonthateveningreadytocollapseintoaruinreekingwithblood。Thepoorerfolkwerealreadytakingtothebushorflyinguptheriver。AgoodmanyoftheupperclassjudgeditnecessarytogoandpaytheircourttotheRajah。TheRajah’syouthsjostledthemrudely。OldTunkuAllang，almostoutofhismindwithfearandindecision，eitherkeptasullensilenceorabusedthemviolentlyfordaringtocomewithemptyhands：theydepartedverymuchfrightened；
　　onlyoldDoraminkepthiscountrymentogetherandpursuedhistacticsinflexibly。
　　Enthronedinabigchairbehindtheimprovisedstockade，heissuedhisordersinadeepveiledrumble，unmoved，likeadeafman，intheflyingrumours。
　　`Duskfell，hidingfirstthebodyofthedeadman，whichhadbeenleftlyingwitharmsoutstretchedasifnailedtotheground，andthentherevolvingsphereofthenightrolledsmoothlyoverPatusanandcametoarest，showeringtheglitterofcountlessworldsupontheearth。Again，intheexposedpartofthetownbigfiresblazedalongtheonlystreet，revealingfromdistancetodistanceupontheirglaresthefallingstraightlinesofroofs，thefragmentsofwattledwallsjumbledinconfusion，hereandthereawholehutelevatedintheglowupontheverticalblackstripesofagroupofhighpiles；andallthislineofdwellings，revealedinpatchesbytheswayingflames，seemedtoflickertortuouslyawayup-riverintothegloomattheheartoftheland。Agreatsilence，inwhichtheloomsofsuccessivefiresplayedwithoutnoise，extendedintothedarknessatthefootofthehill；buttheotherbankoftheriver，alldarksaveforasolitarybonfireattheriver-frontbeforethefort，sentoutintotheairanincreasingtremorthatmighthavebeenthestampingofamultitudeoffeet，thehumofmanyvoices，orthefallofanimmenselydistantwaterfall。Itwasthen，Brownconfessedtome，while，turninghisbackonhismen，hesatlookingatitall，thatnotwithstandinghisdisdain，hisruthlessfaithinhimself，afeelingcameoverhimthatatlasthehadrunhisheadagainstastonewall。Hadhisboatbeenafloatatthetime，hebelievedhewouldhavetriedtostealaway，takinghischancesofalongchasedowntheriverandofstarvationatsea。Itwasverydoubtfulwhetherhewouldhavesucceededingettingaway。However，hedidn’ttrythis。Foranothermomenthehadapassingthoughtoftryingtorushthetown，butheperceivedverywellthatintheendhewouldfindhimselfinthelightedstreet，wheretheywouldbeshotdownlikedogsfromthehouses。Theyweretwohundredtoone——hethought，whilehismen，huddlingroundtwoheapsofsmoulderingembers，munchedthelastofthebananasandroastedthefewyamstheyowedtoKassim’sdiplomacy。Corneliussatamongstthemdozingsulkily。
　　`Thenoneofthewhitesrememberedthatsometobaccohadbeenleftintheboat，and，encouragedbytheimpunityoftheSolomonIslander，saidhewouldgotofetchit。Atthisalltheothersshookofftheirdespondency。
　　Brown，appliedto，said，“Goandbed——dtoyou，“scornfully。Hedidn’tthinktherewasanydangeringoingtothecreekinthedark。Themanthrewalegoverthetree-trunkanddisappeared。Amomentlaterhewasheardclamberingintotheboatandthenclamberingout。“I’vegotit，“hecried。
　　Aflashandareportattheveryfootofthehillfollowed。“Iamhit，“
　　yelledtheman。“Lookout，lookout——Iamhit，“andinstantlyalltherifleswentoff。Thehillsquirtedfireandnoiseintothenightlikealittlevolcano，andwhenBrownandtheYankeewithcursesandcuffsstoppedthepanic-strickenfiring，aprofound，wearygroanfloatedupfromthecreek，succeededbyaplaintwhoseheart-rendingsadnesswaslikesomepoisonturningthebloodcoldintheveins。Thenastrongvoicepronouncedseveraldistinctincomprehensiblewordssomewherebeyondthecreek。“Letnoonefire，“shoutedBrown。“Whatdoesitmean？“……“Doyouhearonthehill？
　　Doyouhear？Doyouhear？“repeatedthevoicethreetimes。Corneliustranslated，andthenpromptedtheanswer。“Speak，“criedBrown，“wehear。“Thenthevoice，declaiminginthesonorousinflatedtoneofaherald，andshiftingcontinuallyontheedgeofthevaguewaste-land，proclaimedthatbetweenthemenoftheBugisnationlivinginPatusanandthewhitemenonthehillandthosewiththem，therewouldbenofaith，nocompassion，nospeech，nopeace。Abushrustled；ahaphazardvolleyrangout。“Dam’foolishness，“
　　mutteredtheYankee，vexedlygroundingthebutt。Corneliustranslated。
　　Thewoundedmanbelowthehill，aftercryingouttwice，“Takemeup!takemeup!“wentoncomplaininginmoans。Whilehehadkeptontheblackenedearthoftheslopeandafterwardscrouchingintheboat，hehadbeensafeenough。Itseemsthatinhisjoyatfindingtobaccoheforgothimselfandjumpedoutonheroff-side，asitwere。Thewhiteboat，lyinghighanddry，showedhimup；thecreekwasnomorethansevenyardswideinthatplace，andtherehappenedtobeamancrouchinginthebushontheotherbank。
　　`HewasaBugisofTondanoonlylatelycometoPatusan，andarelationofthemanshotintheafternoon。Thatfamouslongshothadindeedappalledthebeholders。Themaninuttersecurityhadbeenstruckdown，infullviewofhisfriends，droppingwithajokeonhislips，andtheyseemedtoseeintheactanatrocitywhichhadstirredabitterrage。Thatrelationofhis，Si-Lapabyname，wasthenwithDoramininthestockadeonlyafewfeetaway。Youwhoknowthesechapsmustadmitthatthefellowshowedanunusualpluckbyvolunteeringtocarrythemessage，alone，inthedark。
　　Creepingacrosstheopenground，hehaddeviatedtotheleftandfoundhimselfoppositetheboat。HewasstartledwhenBrown’smanshouted。Hecametoasittingpositionwithhisguntohisshoulder，andwhentheotherjumpedout，exposinghimself，hepulledthetriggerandlodgedthreejaggedslugspoint-blankintothepoorwretch’sstomach。Then，lyingflatonhisface，hegavehimselfupfordead，whileathinhailofleadchoppedandswishedthebushescloseonhisrighthand；afterwardshedeliveredhisspeechshouting，bentdouble，dodgingallthetimeincover。Withthelastwordheleapedsideways，laycloseforawhile，andafterwardsgotbacktothehousesunharmed，havingachievedonthatnightsucharenownashischildrenwillnotwillinglyallowtodie。
　　`Andonthehilltheforlornbandletthetwolittleheapsofembersgooutundertheirbowedheads。Theysatdejectedonthegroundwithcompressedlipsanddowncasteyes，listeningtotheircomradebelow。Hewasastrongmananddiedhard，withmoansnowloud，nowsinkingtoastrangeconfidentialnoteofpain。Sometimesheshrieked，andagain，afteraperiodofsilence，hecouldbeheardmutteringdeliriouslyalongandunintelligiblecomplaint。
　　Neverforamomentdidhecease。
　　“`What’sthegood？“Brownhadsaidunmovedonce，seeingtheYankee，whohadbeenswearingunderhisbreath，preparetogodown。“That’sso，“
　　assentedthedeserter，reluctantlydesisting。“There’snoencouragementforwoundedmenhere。Onlyhisnoiseiscalculatedtomakealltheothersthinktoomuchofthehereafter，cap’n。““Water!“criedthewoundedmaninanextraordinarilyclearvigorousvoice，andthenwentoffmoaningfeebly。
　　“Ay，water。Waterwilldoit，“mutteredtheothertohimself，resignedly。
　　“Plentybyandby。Thetideisflowing。“
　　`Atlastthetideflowed，silencingtheplaintandthecriesofpain，andthedawnwasnearwhenBrown，sittingwithhischininthepalmofhishandbeforePatusan，asonemightstareattheunscalablesideofamountain，heardthebriefringingbarkofabrasssix-pounderfarawayintownsomewhere。“What’sthis？“heaskedofCornelius，whohungabouthim。Corneliuslistened。Amuffledroaringshoutrolleddown-riveroverthetown；abigdrumbegantothrob，andothersresponded，pulsatinganddroning。Tinyscatteredlightsbegantotwinkleinthedarkhalfofthetown，whilethepartlightedbytheloomoffireshummedwithadeepandprolongedmurmur。“Hehascome，“saidCornelius。“What？Already？Areyousure？“Brownasked。“Yes!yes!Sure。Listentothenoise。““Whataretheymakingthatrowabout？“pursuedBrown。“Forjoy，“snortedCornelius；“heisaverygreatman，butallthesame，heknowsnomorethanachild，andsotheymakeagreatnoisetopleasehim，becausetheyknownobetter。“
　　“Lookhere，“saidBrown，“howisonetogetathim？““Heshallcometotalktoyou，“Corneliusdeclared。“Whatdoyoumean？Comedownherestrollingasitwere？“Corneliusnoddedvigorouslyinthedark。“Yes。Hewillcomestraighthereandtalktoyou。Heisjustlikeafool。Youshallseewhatafoolheis。“Brownwasincredulous。“Youshallsee；youshallsee，“repeatedCornelius。“Heisnotafraid——notafraidofanything。Hewillcomeandorderyoutoleavehispeoplealone。Everybodymustleavehispeoplealone。
　　Heislikealittlechild。Hewillcometoyoustraight。“Alas!heknewJimwell——that“meanlittleskunk，“asBrowncalledhimtome。“Yes，certainly，“
　　hepursuedwithardour，“andthen，captain，youtellthattallmanwithaguntoshoothim。Justyoukillhim，andyoushallfrighteneverybodysomuchthatyoucandoanythingyoulikewiththemafterwards——getwhatyoulike——goawaywhenyoulike。Ha!ha!ha!Fine……“Healmostdancedwithimpatienceandeagerness；andBrown，lookingoverhisshoulderathim，couldsee，shownupbythepitilessdawn，hismendrenchedwithdew，sittingamongstthecoldashesandthelitterofthecamp，haggard，cowed，andinrags。“
　　Totheverylastmoment，tillthefulldaycameuponthemwithaspring，thefiresofthewestbankblazedbrightandclear；andthenBrownsawinaknotofcolouredfiguresmotionlessbetweentheadvancedhousesamaninEuropeanclothes，inahelmet，allwhite。“That’shim；look!look!“
　　Corneliussaidexcitedly。AllBrown’smenhadsprungupandcrowdedathisbackwithlustrelesseyes。Thegroupofvividcoloursanddarkfaceswiththewhitefigureinthemidstwereobservingtheknoll。Browncouldseenakedarmsbeingraisedtoshadetheeyesandotherbrownarmspointing。
　　Whatshouldhedo？Helookedaround，andtheforeststhatfacedhimonallsideswalledthecock-pitofanunequalcontest。Helookedoncemoreathismen。Acontempt，weariness，thedesireoflife，thewishtotryforonemorechance——forsomeothergrave——struggledinhisbreast。Fromtheoutlinethefigurepresenteditseemedtohimthatthewhitemanthere，backedupbyallthepoweroftheland，wasexamininghispositionthroughbinoculars。Brownjumpeduponthelog，throwinghisarmsup，thepalmsoutwards。Thecolouredgroupclosedroundthewhiteman，andfellbacktwicebeforehegotclearofthem，walkingslowlyalone。BrownremainedstandingonthelogtillJim，appearinganddisappearingbetweenthepatchesofthornyscrub，hadnearlyreachedthecreek；thenBrownjumpedoffandwentdowntomeethimonhisside。
　　`Theymet，Ishouldthink，notveryfarfromtheplace，perhapsontheveryspot，whereJimtooktheseconddesperateleapofhislife——theleapthatlandedhimintothelifeofPatusan，intothetrust，thelove，theconfidenceofthepeople。Theyfacedeachotheracrossthecreek，andwithsteadyeyestriedtounderstandeachotherbeforetheyopenedtheirlips。
　　Theirantagonismmusthavebeenexpressedintheirglances；IknowthatBrownhatedJimatfirstsight。Whateverhopeshemighthavehadvanishedatonce。Thiswasnotthemanhehadexpectedtosee。Hehatedhimforthis——andinacheckedflannelshirtwithsleevescutoffattheelbows，grey-bearded，withasunken，sun-blackenedface——hecursedinhishearttheother’syouthandassurance，hiscleareyesandhisuntroubledbearing。
　　Thatfellowhadgotinalongwaybeforehim!Hedidnotlooklikeamanwhowouldbewillingtogiveanythingforassistance。Hehadalltheadvantagesonhisside——possession，security，power；hewasonthesideofanoverwhelmingforce!Hewasnothungryanddesperate，andhedidnotseemintheleastafraid。AndtherewassomethingintheveryneatnessofJim’sclothes，fromthewhitehelmettothecanvasleggingsandthepipe-clayedshoes，whichinBrown’ssombreirritatedeyesseemedtobelongtothingshehadintheveryshapingofhislifecontemnedandflouted。
　　“`Whoareyou？“askedJimatlast，speakinginhisusualvoice。“Myname’sBrown，“answeredtheother，loudly；“CaptainBrown。What’syours？“
　　andJimafteralittlepausewentonquietly，asifhehadnotheard：“Whatmadeyoucomehere？““Youwanttoknow，“saidBrown，bitterly。“It’seasytotell。Hunger。Andwhatmadeyou？“