CHAPTER VIII.
A SURPRISE--A BATTLE AND A FIRE.
The sound of the Sabbath bell fell sweetly on the pastor's ear as he descended to his dwelling to make a few final preparations for the duties of the day; and from every hut in Sandy Cove trooped forth the native Christians, young and old, to assemble in the house of God.
With great labor and much pains had this church been built, and pastor and people alike were not a little proud of their handiwork.

The former had drawn the plans and given the measurements, leaving it to Henry Stuart to see them properly carried out in detail, while the latter did the work.

They cut and squared the timbers, gathered the coral, burnt it for lime, and plastered the building.

The women and children carried the lime from the beach in baskets, and the men dragged the heavy logs from the mountains,--in some cases for several miles,--the timber in the immediate neighborhood not being sufficiently large for their purpose.
The poor natives worked with heart and soul; for love, and the desire to please and be pleased, had been awakened within them.

Besides this, the work had for them all the zest of novelty.