Maru was decreasing the distance by inches.  Slowly, very slowly, with all the serpentlike cunning of the savage, he advanced till he was almost above the spot where the other stood taking a survey of the jungle.  But it was a farewell glance for One Eye.  If Leith had placed him there to keep watch till he had reached a safe position, the watcher evidently considered that the time was up.  He hopped to another ledge with the agility of a goat, and Holman groaned.

Maru noticed the retreat, and quickened his movements.  Dropping cautiously from ledge to ledge he crept upon the other with the swiftness of a leopard creeping upon its prey.  One Eye’s deafness left him at the mercy of the shadow in his rear.  Swiftly taking cover whenever the white man’s head moved to the right or the left, the native decreased the distance, and we rose to our knees.

Then Maru sprang.  His muscular right arm went round the neck of the white, and we were rushing toward the cliff without waiting to see the outcome of the struggle.  The Raretongan’s strength was immense, and we knew that the other could not break the strangle hold that had been put upon him.  We were more afraid that One Eye would be choked into insensibility before we reached the post.

The big native was sitting astride his captive when we gained the ledge, and the prisoner was blinking his one good eye as he stared up at him.  We dropped down beside him and took a look at the sun-tanned face.  He exhibited no fear, and the weak, watery eye showed no glint of intelligence.  It was plain that his brain was slightly deranged.

Holman jerked him into a sitting position, and with signs and gestures we endeavoured to explain what we wanted him to do.  Neither of us understood the deaf and dumb alphabet, but the alphabet was hardly necessary.  With much pantomimic action we described Leith, the Professor, and the two girls, and Kaipi enjoyed himself immensely by waving his knife in front of One Eye’s face to signify the fate that awaited him if he did not immediately guide us to the spot.  The Fijian was so proud of the blade that he could hardly be prevented from burying an inch of the steel in the prisoner’s body.

One Eye, although obviously half-witted, saw that Kaipi was only looking for an excuse to send him to a more undesirable place than the Isle of Tears, and he made eager signs that he would act as our guide.  Holman relieved him of the revolver and cartridges he had in his pockets, strapped his arms behind him, and with Maru’s hand clutching the collar of his coat, we signalled to him to step forward and step lively if he wished to delay his journey to the other world till his soul was in a better condition.  The sun was close to the high ridges in the west, and we wished to close with Leith before nightfall.