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Maori and Settler

CONTENTS.

CHAP. Page

I. A HOME BROKEN UP, 11

II. THE EMBARKATION, 30

III. THE VOYAGE, 49

IV. A ROW ON SHORE, 64

V. A BOAT EXPEDITION, 81

VI. PUTTING IN THE REFIT, 104

VII. A SAVAGE SURPRISE, 126

VIII. THE END OF THE VOYAGE, 144

IX. THE NEW ZEALAND WAR, 165

X. THE GLADE, 184

XI. THE HAU-HAUS, 205

XII. THE FIRST ALARM, 224

XIII. THE ATTACK ON THE GLADE, 244

XIV. FRESH TROUBLES, 263

XV. THE MASSACRE AT POVERTY BAY, 282

XVI. THE PURSUIT OF TE KOOTI, 302

XVII. BACK AT THE FARM, 321

XVIII. IN ENGLAND, 340

ILLUSTRATIONS

Facing
Page

"DROP THAT OR I FIRE!" _Frontispiece_

A DOZEN SPEARS STRUCK THE WATER ROUND HER 104

WILFRID AND THE GRIMSTONES FIND IT HARD WORK 192

MR. ATHERTON KEEPS THE MOUTH OF THE DEFILE 296

"I AM AFRAID I AM HEAVY ON A HORSE STILL, WILFRID" 328

* * * * *

Map of Hawke Bay, Poverty Bay, and surrounding Country 16

MAORI AND SETTLER.

CHAPTER I.

A HOME BROKEN UP.

"Well, mother, one thing is certain--something has got to be done. It is
no use crying over spilt milk, that I can see. It is a horribly bad
business, but grieving over it won't make it any better. What one has
got to do is to decide on some plan or other, and then set to work to
carry it out."

The speaker, Wilfrid Renshaw, was a boy between fifteen and sixteen
years old. He was standing with his back to an empty fireplace, his feet
well apart, his hands deep in his pockets. He was rather short for his
age, but very squarely built. His hair was dark, cut rather short, and
so ruffled over his head that there were no signs of a parting; his
eyebrows were heavy, his eyes bright but rather deeply set; his chin was
square and his jaw heavy; his nose was a little upturned, and this
together with his eyes gave a merry expression to a face that would
otherwise have been heavy and stern.

At school Wilfrid Renshaw had been regarded as rather a queer fellow.
He was full of quiet fun, and saw a humorous side in everything. He did
not take a very leading part in the various school sports, though there
was a general idea that if Renshaw only chose to exert himself he could
excel in any of them. In point of actual strength, although there were
several boys in the school older than himself, it was generally admitted
that he was by far the strongest there. But he always went his own way
and always knew his own mind, and when he had once given his decision
every one knew that it was of no use attempting to alter it; indeed, his
reputation for obstinacy was so great that when he had once said "I
won't" or "I will," no one ever attempted to argue with him.

He was given to long walks and to collecting insects or flowers. He
could never be persuaded to make one of the cricket eleven; but in
winter, when there was little scope for his favourite pursuit, he threw
himself into football; and although he absolutely refused to accept the
captaincy when unanimously elected to that honour, he was considered by
far the most valuable member of the team. He was scarcely popular among
the boys of his own age; for although his fun and general good temper
were appreciated by them, his determination to go his own way, and his
entire disregard for the opinion of others, caused him to be considered
an unsociable sort of fellow, an impression increased by the fact that
he had no particular chums.

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Maori and Settler