CHAPTER NINETEEN.
HOW WE WERE BESIEGED, AND I THOUGHT OF BIRNAM WOOD.
I believe the doctor saved us from dangerous wounds, if not from death, for, as he threw himself flat, half a dozen arrows struck the roof of our shelter, and fell pattering down amongst us as we lay.
"Here, quick! pass these packages forward," the doctor whispered; and we managed to get the blacks' loads between us and the enemy, making of the packages a sort of breastwork, which sheltered us while we hauled forward some pieces of stone, arrow after arrow reaching this extempore parapet, or coming over it to strike the roof and fall back.
The natives with us understood our plans at once, and eagerly helped, pushing great pieces of stone up to us, so that in about a quarter of an hour we were well protected, and the question came uppermost in my mind whether it was not time to retaliate with a charge of shot upon the cowardly assailants, who had attacked us when we were so peacefully engaged.
We had time, too, now to look round us and lament that our force was so much weakened by the absence of Jimmy and Aroo, who had gone to fetch more water.
"They will be killed," I said, and I saw Ti-hi smile, for he had evidently understood my meaning.

He shook his head too, and tried to make me understand, as I found afterwards, that Aroo would take care of himself; but we left off in a state of the greatest confusion.
Being then well sheltered we contrived loopholes to watch for our enemies, and Ti-hi pointed out to me the place from whence the arrows were shot every time the enemy could see a hand.
The spot he pointed to as that in which our assailants lay was where a patch of thick growth flourished among some stones, about fifty yards along the rocky pass in the direction in which we had come, and as I was intently watching the place to make out some sign of the enemy, and feeling doubtful whether the black was right, I saw a slight movement and the glint of a flying arrow, which struck the face of the rock a few feet above my head, and then fell by Jack Penny's hand.
"Mind," I said, as he picked it up; "perhaps it is poisoned." Ti-hi was eagerly watching my face, and as I spoke he caught the arrow from Jack's hand, placed it against his arm, and then closed his eyes and pretended to be dead; but as quickly came to life again, as several more arrows struck the rock and fell harmlessly among us.

These he gathered together all but one, whose point was broken by coming in contact with the rock, and that he threw away.
After this he carefully strung the bow that he always, like his fellows, carried, and looked eagerly at the doctor, who was scanning the ground in front of us with his little double glass.
"I don't like the look of things, my lads," he said in a low voice, and his countenance was very serious as he spoke.

"I intended for ours to be a peaceable mission, but it seems as if we are to be forced into war with two men absent." "Shall we have to shoot 'em ?" said Jack Penny excitedly.
"I hope not," said the doctor, "for I should be sorry to shed the blood of the lowest savage; but we must fight in defence of our lives.

We cannot afford to give those up, come what may." Ti-hi fitted an arrow to the string of his short, strong bow, and was about to draw it, but the doctor laid his hand upon him and checked him, to the savage warrior's great disgust.
"No," said the doctor, "not until we are obliged; and then I shall try what a charge of small shot will do." We were not long in finding out that it was absolutely necessary to defend ourselves with vigour, for the arrows began to fall thickly-- thickly enough, indeed, to show us that there were more marksmen hidden among the trees than the size of the clump seemed to indicate from where we crouched.
I was watching the patch of trees very intently when I heard a sharply drawn inspiration of breath, and turning I saw the doctor pulling an arrow from the flannel tunic he wore.
"As doctors say, Joe," he whispered with a smile, "three inches more to the right and that would have been fatal." I don't know how I looked, but I felt pale, and winced a little, while the doctor took my hand.
The force of habit made me snatch it away, for I thought he was going to feel my pulse.