THE PLUME PIRATES 345 



There was no answer from tlie boat, which came 

 forward swiftly. 



This put Shan in a quandary. For all that he 

 actually knew, these might not be plume-hunters 

 at all, they might be Hawaiians, who had business 

 on the island. He, Shan, had no official position. 

 If he shot to kill, and the boy knew his own aim 

 well enough to know that he would not be likely to 

 miss, he might put himself in a terrible difficulty. 

 It would be manslaughter. Shan retreated back 

 up the beach. 



The keel of the boat ground on the bottom, and 

 with a rush, every man in the boat leaped out and 

 ran forward for the boy. Knives gleamed in their 

 hands. As they drew nearer, in the faint light, 

 Shan could see that they were Japanese. 



He hesitated no longer. 



Throwing his rifle to his shoulder he fired, but, 

 even at the moment of firing, indecision seized 

 him and he threw up the muzzle of the gun. The 

 men were on him in a couple of steps and a big man 

 who was in advance of the others, far different in 

 height and appearance from the Japanese who 

 followed, struck him on the left hand with the 

 butt end of a pistol, at the same time dashing his 

 other fist into the boy 's face. 



