ther?" I asked
anxiously.

"Why, bless you, we should be knocked on the head by the first black
fellows we might meet," answered Sam. "Our only chance is to go round
by water, and I hope we may get there before any mischief is done."

"Then we have not a moment to lose," I exclaimed. "But we must ask your
friend to exert himself, and try to save them. Perhaps, when they hear
that we are engaged in honest trading, they may be induced to abandon
their design."

I spoke to Hogan, who, however, shook his head, as if he thought the
attempt would be useless, though he promised to do what he could.

"You will understand, friend, that we shall be happy to reward you for
any service you can render us, and you must point out to the natives
that, should they commit any act of violence, they will be sure before
long to be punished. British men-of-war are about to cruise in these
parts for that very purpose, though, perhaps, the natives have never
seen or heard of them as yet."

Hogan looked greatly astonished at hearing this, and exhibited some
alarm himself. He promised, however, to tell the people, though he
tried to persuade us that he could not be answerable for what they might
do.

As every moment might be of importance, I wished him good-bye, and
ordered the men to launch the boat. I observed that Sam parted from his
old shipmate in a remarkably cold manner, as before, not even shaking
hands with him. We immediately shoved off, Hogan and his companions
standing on the beach, and watching us as we pulled out of the little
bay, and soon afterwards I saw them going back by the way they had come.
Hogan, I should have said, had minutely described the harbour in which
the schooner lay, so that I had no fear about finding the place, if we
could reach it before dark.

CHAPTER TEN.

Nearly two hours of daylight had already gone by, and as there was at
present a perfect calm, we should have to depend on our oars alone. I
explained to the men that it was a matter of life and death to arrive as
soon as possible.

"Never fear, Mr Ned," answered Jack Lizard. "We'll make the boat fly
along as fast as our oars can send her."

As Dick had a sharp pair of eyes, I stationed him in the bows to look
out for rocks; for, of course, to shorten the distance, we had to keep
close to the land, or, rather, just outside the breakers, which, as we
advanced, we found dashing on the shore. As we had had a good
breakfast, we did