A Bold Stratagem

           NEXTday,February17th,thesun’sfirstraysawokethesleepersoftheMaunganamu.TheMaorieshadlongsincebeenastir,comingandgoingatthefootofthemountain,withoutleavingtheirlineofobservation.FuriousclamorbrokeoutwhentheysawtheEuropeansleavethesacredplacetheyhadprofaned.

           Eachofthepartyglancedfirstattheneighboringmountains,andatthedeepvalleysstilldrownedinmist,andoverLakeTaupo,whichthemorningbreezeruffledslightly.AndthenallclusteredroundPaganeleagertohearhisproject.

           Paganelsoonsatisfiedtheircuriosity."Myfriends,"saidhe,"myplanhasonegreatrecommendation;ifitdoesnotaccomplishallthatIanticipate,weshallbenoworseoffthanweareatpresent.Butitmust,itwillsucceed."

           "Andwhatisit?"askedMcNabbs.

           "Itisthis,"repliedPaganel,"thesuperstitionofthenativeshasmadethismountainarefugeforus,andwemusttakeadvantageoftheirsuperstitiontoescape.IfIcanpersuadeKai-Koumouthatwehaveexpiatedourprofanation,thatthewrathoftheDeityhasfallenonus:inaword,thatwehavediedaterribledeath,doyouthinkhewillleavetheplateauofMaunganamutoreturntohisvillage?"

           "Notadoubtofit,"saidGlenarvan.

           "Andwhatisthehorribledeathyoureferto?"askedLadyHelena.

           "Thedeathofthesacrilegious,myfriends,"repliedPaganel."Theavengingflamesareunderourfeet.Letusopenawayforthem!"

           "What!makeavolcano!"criedJohnMangles.

           "Yes,animpromptuvolcano,whosefurywecanregulate.