took the runaways, every one of
whom was struck down or speared through before they reached the beach.

"That's an easy way of paying our debts," says the skipper, and that was
the only remark he made about the unfortunate wretches who were killed;
and as the people in those islands are all cannibals I have no doubt
were eaten by the next day.

"This will give you, sir, some notion of the sort of man the skipper
was, and if the same man commands the brigantine out there, it's just as
well to be on our guard against him."

When I went below to get some supper I told Harry what Sam had said.

"I cannot take more precautions than we are now doing," he answered;
"and as soon as we get a breeze to carry us out of the harbour, we'll
put as wide a distance as we can between him and ourselves."

It appeared after all, when morning came, that our precautions were
unnecessary, not a canoe nor a boat was seen in the harbour; indeed,
Harry said that even supposing the crew of the brigantine were the
greatest ruffians afloat it was very improbable that they would venture
to attack us. Only a few canoes came alongside bringing pearls or
oyster-shells. The natives said that if we would wait for a few days
they would procure a further supply from some beds at the other end of
the island. Harry, however, determined to sail as soon as possible. We
now only waited for a fair wind, without which it would have been
dangerous to attempt the passage between the reefs.

Breakfast was just over when a boat was seen pulling towards us; she
evidently belonged to the brigantine. The guns had been secured, the
small arms placed out of sight, and the awning having been rigged, Mary
and Fanny were on deck seated with their work in their hands. Presently
the boat came alongside, and the skipper whom we had seen the previous
evening stepped on deck. Harry received him politely, and begged to
know the cause to which he was indebted for a visit from him.

"Just come to learn what you are about, here," answered the skipper in a
gruff tone. "I am Captain Samuel Myers. My vessel is the _Wasp_, now
belonging to Callao."

"I am happy to see you, Captain Myers; but I thought that my brother,
who visited you yesterday evening, had told you that we were on a
trading voyage, and about to return immediately to Brisbane."

"What have you been trading in?" asked Captain Myers. "I should not
have thought there was much to be got in these islands."