s a nuisance to be carrying a thing like that about all
night. Lay it down, man. I daresay we can find it again in the
morning. Now follow us on quietly."

Oliver joined his companions, and the two sailors were left a little way
behind.

"Now, then! d'yer hear?" whispered Smith. "He telled yer to chuck that
there ladder down."

"I don't care what he telled me, Tommy. He aren't my orficer. I was to
carry that there ladder, and I'm a-goin' to carry that there ladder till
my watch is up."

"Yah! yer orbsnit wooden-headed old chock."

"Dessay I am, Tommy, but dooty's dooty, and ship's stores is ship's
stores. I've got to do my dooty, and I aren't going to chuck away the
ship's stores. That sort o' thing may do for natralists, but it don't
come nat'ral to a sailor."

"You won't be better till you've had a snooze, Billy. Your temper's
downright nasty, my lad. I say, what's that?"

"Which? What? Wheer?"

"Yonder, something fuzzy-like coming along yonder."

"Niggers," whispered back Wriggs. "You can see their heads with the
hair standing out like a mop. But say, Tommy, what's that up yonder
again the sky?"

"Nothin' as I knows on."

"Not there, stoopid: yonder. If that there ain't the wane on the top of
our mast sticking up out of a hindful o' fog, I'm a Dutchman."

"Talking again?" said Oliver, angrily.

"Yes, sir, look!" whispered Smith. "Yonder's the brig."

"Can't be that way, my man."

"But it is, sir, just under that bit o' fog. See the little
weather-cock thing on the mast?"

"Of course! Bravo! Found."

"Yes, sir, and something else, too," growled Wriggs. "Look yonder
behind yer. Niggers--a whole ship's crew on 'em and they're coming
arter us--there under the moon."

"Yes," said Oliver sharply. "Now, then, for the brig. Sharp's the
word."

"Where is it?" asked Panton excitedly, as he too caught sight of the
undefined hazy figures of the Papuans beneath the moon.

"There in that patch of fog: the top mast shows above it. Altogether:
run."

They set off at full speed, nerved by a yell from the savages, when, all
at once, the thin mist which had hidden the ship was cut in half a dozen
places by flashes of light. The dull reports of as many rifles smote
their ears, and as Oliver uttered a sharp cry, Wriggs went down with a
rush, carrying with him the ladder, which fell crosswise and tripped up
Panton and Smith, who both came with a crash to the ground.

CHAPTER TWEN