"and he
does not wish to go back home feeling that it was obtained at the cost
of killing a number of fellow-creatures."

"No, no, of course not," said Ned quickly; "only you must draw the line
somewhere, and I want to know whether black fellows who shoot poisoned
arrows into you, and when you're swimming for your life, and ain't never
interfered with them, and they come and try to knock your brains out
with clubs, is fellow-creatures. Why, if it was me, I'd rather try to
make friends with a respectable set o' wild beasts. They wouldn't eat
you unless they was hungry. Strikes me that if I hadn't dodged that
gentleman when he hit at me, I shouldn't have been here; nor I shouldn't
neither if some one hadn't fired that shot. I say, Mr Jack, sir; it
was Sir John, wasn't it?"

"No, Ned, it was Doctor Instow."

"Then that's two I owe him. I always used to think that Sir John was
best man with a gun, but after that--well, I'm done. All I can say is,
I hope my turn 'll come to do something for the doctor, and till it does
I'll take anything he likes to give me, even if it's jollop, and won't
make a face."

Jack laughed.

"Oh yes, it's easy to smile a grin, sir," said Ned, "but if you'd tasted
some of the stuff he gave me you wouldn't."

"Ah, well, you will not want any physic now, Ned."

"Hah! it seems more natural on board now," said the mate, coming up
smiling. "You two have given us an anxious time. We must have it all
over as soon as we're safe from the hurricane."

"Hurricane?" said Ned, staring. "What hurricane? Where?"

The mate pointed astern, and Ned stared out to sea as the yacht raced
along.

"Well, I can't see anything," he said.

"Can't you see that thick, hazy look astern?"

"What, that bit o' fog?"

"Yes; it is chasing us pretty sharply; I'm afraid we shall not get into
harbour before it's down upon us. Ah, there's the skipper."

The speaker walked quickly aft, and found Captain Bradleigh, who had
just come on deck from the cabin, and after a look round there was a
brief consultation, and all hands were piped on deck. Then for the next
hour there was a busy scene. The tops were sent down, the sails doubly
secured, boats swung inboard and lashed, and every possible precaution
taken to make all that could be caught by a furious tempest thoroughly
secure.

"Well, I suppose they know what they're about, Mr Jack, sir," said Ned;
"but it looks to me like taking a lot of trouble because