But to our surprise, instead of
doing so, he advanced towards us with a knife in his hand, and, going
up to Jack, he cut the thongs that bound his wrists, then he did the
same to Peterkin and me! For fully five minutes we stood in speechless
amazement, with our freed hands hanging idly by our sides. The first
thought that rushed into my mind was that the time had come to put us
to death; and although, as I have said before, we actually wished for
death in the strength of our despair, now that we thought it drew
really near, I felt all the natural love of life revive in my heart,
mingled with a chill of horror at the suddenness of our call.
But I was mistaken. After cutting our bonds, the savage pointed to the
cave's mouth, and we marched, almost mechanically, into the open air.
Here, to our surprise, we found the teacher standing under a tree, with
his hands clasped before him, and the tears trickling down his dark
cheeks. On seeing Jack, who came out first, he sprang towards him, and,
clasping him in his arms, exclaimed--"Oh, my dear young friend, through
the great goodness of God you are free!"
"Free?" cried Jack.
"Ay, free," repeated the teacher, shaking us warmly by the hands again
and again--"free to go and come as you will. The Lord has unloosed the
bonds of the captive, and set the prisoners free, A missionary has been
sent to us, and Tararo has embraced the Christian religion! The people
are even now burning their gods of wood! Come, my dear friends, and see
the glorious sight.
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