d in filling
some small preserved fish tins with powder, adding a piece of fuse, and
keeping them ready for lighting when the right moment came.

It came long before evening, for at last, satisfied that they would not
be able to frighten the defenders of the brig into a surrender, the
blacks made a furious attack, crowding to one side more especially, and
trying to scale the bulwarks.

And now, as the arrows came in a shower over the attacking party's
heads, firing became general, and watching their opportunity just as
matters were getting very critical, the place of every man shot down
being taken by a dozen more, Oliver and Panton both held the ends of the
fuses they had prepared to the candle in a lantern. They saw that they
were well alight, and then, as calmly as if there were no danger
whatever of the contents exploding, bore them to the side, with the men
shrinking away, and cast them over, right into the most crowded part of
the attack.

A fierce yelling followed, and in place of running away, the poor
ignorant wretches crowded round these strange-looking missiles which had
been sent into their midst.

The next minute there was a terrific roar, followed almost directly by
another which seemed to shake the ship, and then a complete stampede,
the blacks who were uninjured helping their wounded comrades off to the
shelter of the forest, and leaving many dead behind.

"Saved!" cried Panton. "They won't face that again."

"Yes, they will," said Oliver sadly. "Depend upon it, this is only a
temporary scare."

"Then we'll get ready some more for them. I'm growing bloodthirsty now,
and we'll defend the brig to the last."

The men cheered at this, and watched with interest the making of fresh
shells, but the afternoon wore on and evening came without a sign of a
black, and at last hopes began to be entertained that the enemy had
fled, so they all partook of a hearty meal.

"It's the darkness I dread," said Oliver, soon after sundown, as he and
his friends stood together watching all around, and now and then
mistaking shadows for coming enemies.

It must have been two hours after dark, though, before there was any
fresh cause for alarm, and it arrived just as Panton had confidentially
said,--

"Some of us may sleep, for there'll be no attack to-night."

"Beg pardon, Mr Oliver Lane, sir," said a voice at their elbow.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Billy Wriggs, sir. Ever since he had that swim in the black ca