two more canoes?"

"You've got better eyes than I have, sir; I can't see anything."

Jack proved to be right, for soon after a couple of great canoes came
through an opening in a line of breakers, and made straight for the one
which bore the prisoners.

"It's going to be a close shave, Mr Jack," said Ned at last. "If they
get near enough to the land they'll win, because the _Star_ won't dare
to follow, but I don't give up yet. Only look here, sir, if matters
come to the worst they'll try and kill us, so be on the look-out. You
can swim now after those lessons I gave you."

"Oh, Ned, only a few strokes. I cannot trust myself," groaned Jack.

"Oh dear! and you a gent, and your education neglected like that. Why,
to be able to swim now, sir, is worth all the Latin and Greek in the
world. But never mind, I can, though all the Greek I know is _quantum
stuff_, and p'r'aps that's Latin. You do as I tell you; the moment you
see that one of the niggers means mischief, over you go; I shall be
there, and I'll help you swim, sir, and the yacht's sure to have a boat
ready to drop and pick us up."

On they went, with the wind sending the canoe rapidly along, and the
blacks sat on the edge to keep her well down, and on the outrigger. The
speed now was wonderful, the long elastic vessel bent and glided like
some live creature over the swell, and had the blacks had another mile
to go, the fate of the two prisoners would have been sealed; but at full
speed now the yacht, with sail after sail shaken out to the help of the
propeller, came up hand over hand, and when pretty close swayed off to
windward, curved round as she glided by, and was once more answering her
helm in the other direction, racing for the canoe's bows, the steering
being so true that the fore-part was forced under water while the stern
rose slowly in the air. "Now for it," said Ned sharply. Jack hesitated
for a moment or two, and then tried to plant one foot upon the side and
leap after his companion; but his momentary hesitation was nearly fatal,
for one of the blacks made a dash at him, caught him by the shoulder,
and struck at him with his raised club.

In his despair the lad forced himself forward, and instead of the head
of the heavy club, it was the man's arm which struck him across the
shoulder, and the next moment they were thrown by the rising of the
stern headlong amongst the struggling crowd as the canoe filled. Then
all was darkness and con