The Lost Heir

es that formed a dark band behind the sands. A small brig of about a hundred tons' burden lay anchored a short distance from the shore. The paint was off in many places, and everywhere

fifty yards away. On the stump of a tree in front of the bench on which the three men were sitting were placed several black bottles

rum and whatever else we want. You have got all our copra on board, and a good stock of native trumperies, and I should recommend you to be off, both for your own sake and ours. Your men have been more or less drunk ever since they came here. I don't mind a drinking bout myself now and again, but it does not do to keep it up. However, it would be no odds to us whether your men were drunk all the time or not if they would but get drunk on board, but they

black fellows; a couple of musket-shots would send them all flying. But, you see, though I am skipper, the men all have shares a

ike, Bill and I will help you. You have got six men; well, if you shot three of them

ass of fellows to sail with one in craft like this and for this sort of trade. It pays well if one gets back safely, but what with the risk of being cast ashore or being killed by the natives, who are savage enough in some of the islands, it stands to reason that a man who can get a berth in any other sort of craft won't sail with us. But it is just the sort of l

ngs are going a lot too far. Enough mischief has been done already, and I am by no means sure that when you have gone they won'

s turning out well?"

t be better. Anyhow, we are co

e the whites out altogether. They said that if we hadn't been here, the brig would not have come; which is like enough, for Atkins only put in because he was an old chum of ours, and thought that we should have got copra enough to make it worth his while to come round. Well, if the niggers only wiped out the cre

ded here. When we stopped here before and found them friendly and pleasant, and we says to each other, 'If we can but get on smooth with them and set them fishing

t ought to be worth two or three thousand pounds, and we agreed that we would stay here till we have two bags the size of the one we have got; but unless Atkins gets those

en tell us is untrue,

out to-day. Who is to blame them, when one of their chiefs was shot yesterday without a shadow of excuse? I don't say that I think so much of a nigger's life one way or another; and having been in some stiff fights together, as you know, I have always taken my share. But I am dead against shooting without

that yet. Don't let us give up a good thi

ame to the worst, if we couldn't fight our way down to our canoe, and once on board that we coul

be ready for me." He strolled off to his shanty, which lay back some dist

suppose?" he ask

one of our people have

being too long for ordinary conversation,-"it is a bad business, and I am sorry

she said. "Polly

already, we are very sorry for the goings on of these people, but it is not our faul

said; "they know that if I do

the canoe three or four dozen cocoanuts and four or five big bunches of plantains, and you may as well

r," the woman said; "if she s

ttle woman, and I don't know how I should get on without you now; though why they

She put his supper on the table and then made several journeys backwards and forwards to the canoe, which lay afloat in

smoking his pipe, when he heard the sound of heavy foot

l?" he asked, as

nd occasionally they set up a tremendous yell. I tell you I don't like it, Simcoe; I don't like it a bit. I sent my woman to see w

ns storming, and a good deal of shouting among the men. I suppose you have got your pearls all ri

no fear of the natives stealing them out of my hut, but if one of those fellows were to

e brought your

ose you are loaded, and ready to

is not above three days' sail, and lies dead to leeward, as the wind is at present. Still, Bill, I hope it is not coming to that. I think it is likely enough they may attack the b

now half a dozen cases in which the niggers have attacked

eir case. After thinking for a minute he said, "Well, Bill, in that case I think the safest plan will be to

w about

cannot blame ourselves. If we come back in a few weeks of course we should not land until we had overhauled one of their canoes and found out what the feeling of the people was. They will have got over their fit

h," the other agreed. "Wh

ks left. Polly shall carry them down to the canoe; we s

gan to carry the things down to the canoe. Then

me back fro

thing particular." They saw the dinghy pulled u

s coming to fighting. Two or three of them took up handspikes, but

ate it comes to this: we are so convinced that there is going to be trouble that we mean to cut and run at once. We have got enough grub put on board our canoe to

hy should not you two bring your canoe off alongside and hoist her up? Then we could get up anchor and be off. Three of

u think of that,

for the brig. I have sailed in her before now, and I know that she is slow, unless it is blowing half a gale. It is like enough that the natives may be watching her now, and if they saw

ke a choice. Of course if I were sure that the natives really me

re this. It wasn't half a mile to go, and she might have been there and back in half an hour, and she has been gone now over three hours, and I feel nasty about it, I can tell you. I wish your crew were all sober, Atkins, an

ly?" Simcoe asked the woman, as she

aid. "Why not go? V

w off the shore for an hour or so. If Bill's Susan comes here and finds we have gone she is pretty s

e doesn't I shall know that they have killed her, and I will jot it down against th

e alarm, and I aint going to lose the brig and all that sh

eaped to their feet as a burst of sav

in a moment. Come on, Polly! come on, Atkins! we have no choice now." Taking

ll the tale, but the impatience of those in the canoes lying round the brig had caused the alarm to be given before they had placed themselves in readiness for a simultan

; "we shall have to make a stand at

umbled; then with a savage oath he turned and emptied both barrels of his fowling-piece into the natives, and the two lead

nded, Bill?"

. Run on, man; I th

med. "Catch hold of my ar

o had all along been running behind Simcoe, threw herself forward, and the spear pierced her through

Bill; the poor girl is done fo

ink so," h

d with his comrade on his back he

n lift Bill into the boat, and I will keep them back. I am

hat each shot brought down a savage; then he lifted B

istols, and then clubbing his gun threw himself with a hoarse shout upon them. The loss of seven of their leaders had caused their followers t

got the sail up." Turning, Simcoe was in a moment knee-deep

ears were flung. Two of them struck Atkins full in the body, and with a cry he threw up his arms and fell over the side of the canoe. Then came several splashes in the water. Simcoe dre

e spears Simcoe threw the boat up into the wind, reloaded his pistols and those of his comrade, and opened fire upon the group of natives clustered at the water's edge. Like most men of hi

ow's spear must have gone right through me. I am afraid that they have done for Bill too." He stooped over his comrade. The shaft of the spear had broken off, but th

rew the jagged spear from the wound. Then he took off his own s

e. Of course they have done for those drunkards on board the brig. I did not hear a single pistol fired, and I expect that they knocked them on the head in thei

was breaking Bill

ou feel,

like a man; I heard it all till Atk

o him directly he got up the sail, he stood there watching, I suppose, until I

of Harrison. I wrote to him every two or three years, and got an answer about the same. Tell him how his brother Bill died, and how you carried him off when the blacks were yelling round. We were fond of each other, Tom and I. You keep the pearls, Sim; he don't want them. He is a top-sawyer in his way, he is, and

with, with fifteen hundred pounds' or so worth of pearls in my belt, not out in these islands. But I never had any fear with him. Well, well," he went on, as he took the bag of pearls from his comrade's belt and placed it in his own, "There is a consolation everywhere, though we might have doubled and treble