s, and the foam of the breakers on the
reef began to soften as the blacks paddled hard straight out to sea.

A few minutes later it was night, with the stars beginning to shine out
clearly from the purpling sky, and the paddles making the water flash
into phosphorescent foam.

"You're right, Mr Jack," said Ned at last; "Sir John wouldn't mind
running any risk to save us, but he might see that it was only throwing
away a chance to get the boat capsized, and he may have to row back to
the yacht so as to get her out of the lagoon and after us to cut us off
before these black ruffians can get home to where they came from."

"It means slavery after all, Ned," said Jack bitterly. "Why didn't we
jump overboard and--and try to swim to the boat?"

"What the doctor calls `law of self-preservation,' sir," said Ned
quietly. "We'd seen too much in that lagoon, very pretty to look at,
but too many ugly things about in the blue waters. Been just about as
mad as for them to try and follow the canoe. What do you say to making
ourselves comfortable, sir, and having a nap?"

"What, now? At a time like this?" cried Jack.

"Yes, sir, that's what I was thinking, so as to be ready for work
to-morrow."

"I could not sleep," said Jack sadly, as he sat gazing back in the
direction of the reef.

"Very well, sir; then you take the first watch while I go below, only
there ain't no below. It's of no use for you to look back at the reef,
sir, for they couldn't have got through, and if they could this canoe
goes two miles to their one. What we've got to do is to wait for
to-morrow morning, and hope for the best."

Jack said nothing, but he knew that all his companion said was right,
and he sat there silent, while Ned stretched himself in the bottom and
was off soundly to sleep. Almost directly after about half the blacks
withdrew the paddles from the water and lay down in the bottom, leaving
the rest to urge the boat along.

It was hard work in the solitude of that night to keep from giving way
to despair, and to cling to the hope that those in the boat had not
attempted the daring feat performed with the canoe, but had turned back
to the yacht to get her under weigh and come in chase. For always there
came the thought that by morning the canoe would be out of sight, and he
and Ned still on the way to some state of captivity, preserved for
Heaven only knew what terrible fate.

From time to time the resting half of the savages spr