Dean had felt startled, but the effect of his cousin's blow made him give vent to a loud "Ha, ha!" for the black, who was quite unarmed, placed his hands to the prominent organ which had received Mark's blow, took them down again very much stained, stared at them and uttered a piteous yell. It was, to use the term of the old-fashioned singlestick players, "first blood," and the sight thereof had a disastrous effect. For, recovering himself, the black turned round and caught his spear from where he had leaned it against the side of the shed, while the others yelled in chorus and began to menace the boys with their spears. "Quick, Dean--guns!" cried Mark; and, then, "Bravo, Brown!" for the tall, thin, amateur foreloper snatched the spear from the first black, dashed before the menaced boys, and using the spear quarter-staff fashion, he made it whistle through the air as he struck to left and right, striking spear hafts, shoulders, and in two cases heads, as he drove their assailants back. Just then Sir James and the doctor came into sight round one of the ruined walls, rifles over their shoulders, and catching sight of what was going on, came running forward to render aid. "Hurrah!" cried Mark. "Give it to them, Dunn!" Brown needed no urging; but the blacks were recovering from the surprise of the sudden attack and were coming on again. "Fire, doctor!" shouted Dean excitedly. "Yes, fire, father!" cried Mark. "Never mind us." "No, no, my boy," panted his father, as he dashed up with presented rifle. "We must have no bloodshed." "But we must drive them back," cried the doctor sternly, as he made the locks of his rifle click. While these words were being spoken, the blacks, who had been startled by the appearance of the new-comers and drawn back for the moment, began to advance again, but only to receive another check caused by the clicking of first one and then the other rifle; but as nothing followed this they again, all moving as if by the same influence, took another step forward as if to get a little closer before hurling their spears. At that moment the shrill piercing note of Mark's whistle rang out, as he blew with all his might a loud and ear-ringing call, the appointed signal that he knew would bring help from all by whom it was heard. This checked the blacks again, and one or two made an uneasy movement as if to retreat; but this was stopped by a fierce yell from their leader, the black who had received Mark's blow, and all began again to advance with dancing movements which at another time would have excited mirth, but which Mark read rightly as being the savages' self-exciting gestures prior to a rush. "Guns," whispered the boy to his cousin. "I'll stay." Dean hesitated for a moment, and then dashed off to fetch the weapons from the rough rack where they hung ready for use, leaving Mark with his eyes running from black to black with the intent of seizing an opportunity to snatch a spear if he could see a chance.