He had more woodcraft than Kaipi, who had spent most
of his time upon the ocean, and his information regarding the direction
in which Leith was now heading saved us many weary hours of marching.
Yams and guavas, with wild passion fruit, made a breakfast and dinner as
we clawed our way in pursuit. At midday we judged that we were hot upon
the trail, unless Leith had changed his course, but the black cliffs
were close to us at that moment, and the recollections of the gloomy
caverns made us silent as we pushed through the matted jungle. We could
see no trace of the path which Leith would be compelled to cut to enable
the two girls to get through, and we heard no sounds. A lone parrakeet
startled us with its harsh cry as it rose from a maupei tree, and the
bird even seemed to recognize that it had committed a breach in sending
its unmusical cry out upon the awful quiet of the place.
Kaipi climbed a tall tree in the vain hope of catching sight of Leith's
party as it crossed the small cleared spaces in the middle of the
impenetrable growth, but nothing except the green plain of bushy tops
and parasitical creepers was visible.
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