CHAPTERXXIII——AMESSAGEFROMTHEBUSH
NeverhadrunawaysfromBerandebeenmorezealouslyhunted。ThedeedsofGogoomyandhisfellowshadbeenabadexamplefortheonehundredandfiftynewrecruits。Murderhadbeenplanned，agang-
bosshadbeenkilled，andthemurderershadbrokentheircontractsbyfleeingtothebush。Sheldonsawhowimperativeitwastoteachhisnew-caughtcannibalsthatbadexamplesweredisastrousthingstopatternafter，andheurgedSeeleeonnightandday，whilewiththeTahitianshepracticallylivedinthebush，leavingJoaninchargeoftheplantation。TothenorthBoucherdidgoodwork，twiceturningthefugitivesbackwhentheyattemptedtogainthecoast。
Onebyonetheboyswerecaptured。Inthefirstman-drivethroughthemangroveswampSeeleecaughttwo。Circlingaroundtothenorth，athirdwaswoundedinthethighbyBoucher，andthisone，draggingbehindinthechase，waslatergatheredinbySeelee\'shunters。Thethreecaptives，heavilyironed，wereexposedeachdayinthecompound，asgoodexamplesofwhathappenedtobadexamples，allfortheedificationofthesevenscoreandtenhalf-wildPoonga-Poongamen。ThentheMinerva，runningpastforTulagi，wassignalledtosendaboat，andthethreeprisonerswerecarriedawaytoprisontoawaittrial。
Fivewerestillatlarge，butescapewasimpossible。Theycouldnotgetdowntothecoast，nordaredtheyventuretoofarinlandforfearofthewildbushmen。Thenoneofthefivecameinvoluntarilyandgavehimselfup，andSheldonlearnedthatGogoomyandtwootherswereallthatwereatlarge。Thereshouldhavebeenafourth，butaccordingtothemanwhohadgivenhimselfup，thefourthmanhadbeenkilledandeaten。Ithadbeenfearofasimilarfatethathaddrivenhimin。HewasaMaluman，fromnorth-westernMalaita，aslikewisehadbeentheonethatwaseaten。