noise through the valley, and which produced such a panic among the tribe that they made a precipitate retreat under cover of the darkness, shrieking and yelling as they went along.
When quietness again reigned in the valley, Charlie and Quandak seeing the coast clear, emerged from their hiding places, but alas! their prizes were nowhere to be found. In vain did Quandak send his shrill whistle through the valley, but no response was returned by Maria, who, with her companion, was still in the power of the savages.
The darkness of the night and their ignorance of the route the fugitives had taken, prevented them from prosecuting the pursuit until daylight would enable them to follow the tracks. This misfortune filled Charlie with alarm, on being informed by Quandak that the Warrigal tribe invariably put their captives to death when pursued, sooner than surrender them, and which generally took place at their first encampment. However, as they were unable to proceed at present, they anxiously awaited the breaking of day.
CHAPTER XXII.
THE WHITE CAPTIVE.
While Charlie and Quandak are eagerly looking for the dawn, we will carry the reader back several years to an account of events which had taken place, and which were closely connected with one of the principal characters of this tale.
The scene was on board ship, and the time sunrise. The sea was perfectly smooth, and the air calm; not a breath to fill the listless sails, and the vessel stood still; flocks of mutton birds flow past, proceeding in thousands to their fishing grounds.
A lady passenger, of uncommon beauty, attired in a tasteful but simple dress, stepped lightly upon the quarter-deck. A cheerfulness spread over the countenances of the weather-beaten sailors as they washed down the
