But the poor old man was not willing, and his heartrending appeal for mercy so moved George that he roughly pushed his way through a group of grinning seamen, sharply chiding them for their cruel indifference, and walked straight up to the chief. 'What is this, O Te Karearea?' he demanded haughtily. 'Why do you allow your young men to maltreat old Te Kaihuia? Whatever your followers may believe, you know well enough that to murder an old man for the sake of getting a breeze is a piece of stupid cruelty.' In his excitement he had spoken in English; but the amused gleam in the chief's eyes assured him that he had been understood, so without a pause he went on in Maori: 'Let him live, my friend, and I promise you the wind before evening.' Te Karearea started and stared hard at George, who had, of course, spoken impulsively, and looked rather foolish when pressed for an explanation; whereupon the chief's lips curled in a cynical smile, and he made a covert sign to the men who were holding his ancient relative. Alert to catch the signal, they swung up the old fellow and, before George could turn, flung him far out into the sea, where, with that curious instinct which seems to attract them whenever death is in the air, several sharks were already gathered, their triangular dorsal fins moving ceaselessly to and fro as they waited, expectant, for their prey. But, even as the old man vanished over the side, George burst through the crescent and took a running jump into the sea. So swift was his action that the noise of the two bodies striking the water came to the ears of those on board as one great splash, and as the crew of the brig, now thoroughly ashamed of themselves, cheered enthusiastically, George appeared above the surface, holding the old Maori in the loop of one arm, while with the other he struck out vigorously. Quick as thought, Te Karearea seized a rifle from the nearest armed guard and fired at a black fin which drove swiftly in the wake of the swimmer. The ball went home, and in an instant the sea was dyed red, as the rapacious sharks tore in pieces the body of their late ally. But for this timely intervention a frightful tragedy must have been enacted; but, as it was, while the guards at a word from their chief directed a terrific fusillade at the sharks, Bigham cast a rope to George, who was hauled up not much the worse for his dive, while the air rang with the hurrahs of the crew. The ancient gentleman was handed over the side in a very limp condition, and borne away to be dried and ironed, as it were, while George, with an ugly scowl at Te Karearea, who came up all smiles and compliments, hurried below to change his clothes.