live here. I have heard them spoken of many times."

"Then they are just the very fellows we want," I said to Lucia; "there's
enough of them, with us, to put the boat off this ledge into the water
again. They'll be here in a few minutes. Niabon, do you think we can be
seen from the king's village? I can see the houses there quite plainly."

"I fear so, Simi," she replied.

"Then we must make these fellows who are coming to us work hard. I'll
pay them well for it if they get us afloat again in another hour. Let me
do all the talking. Take my glasses and let me know the moment you see
a boat coming. We must not be caught here like this; and the tide won't
turn for another hour at least."

There were eleven natives, and when they were close to I noticed with
satisfaction that most of them were sturdy, well-built fellows. They
came up to us, and we all shook hands, and before even asking them to
help me, I inquired if they would like some grog to dry their skins.

Lucia had a quart bottle of Hollands all ready, and in less than five
minutes it was empty, and our visitors said I was a noble-minded and
thoughtful man.

"Friends," I said, "behold me and my friends--and this our boat cast
upon the reef like a stranded porpoise. Wilt help us float again, so
that we may get to the king's town to-night and sleep in peace? And
I shall pay every man twenty sticks of rich, sweet tobacco and four
bottles of grog between thee."

My munificent offer was received with acclamation, though at first they
wanted a preliminary smoke and gossip, but I bade them hurry.

"No time have we for talk now, friends," I said, jocularly slapping one
of them on his brawny shoulders; "'tis but this morning the king sent
a white man to me in his own boat to bid me welcome; and, as we hurried
down the lagoon, that devil's rain sent me astray, so that the boat was
caught in the current and swept down into the passage, where we struck,
as thou seest."

My explanation was quite satisfactory, and they went to work with a
will, lightening the boat--after a first and fruitless attempt to move
her--by taking out all our water, stores, &c. We were but fifty or sixty
feet away from the edge of the channel; and in half an hour, by our
united effort, had dragged her half the distance, when Niabon beckoned
me to her.

"There are two boats half-way down the lagoon," she said in a low voice:
"one is that of Tully, and they are using both sails and oars. See, t