ce
as the boys, sleeping there.

Then, loading themselves with provisions, the boys stole backwards
and forwards, quietly, to the boat. Once they had to pause, as a
sleepless native came out from his hut, walked up to the shrine,
and bowed himself repeatedly before the supposed deities.
Fortunately he perceived nothing suspicious, and did not notice the
constrained attitude of the four guardians. When he retired the
boys continued their work, and soon had the whole of the store of
cocoas and other provisions in the canoe, together with some
calabashes of water.

Then with some difficulty they launched the boat and, taking their
places, paddled quietly away from the island. Once fairly beyond
the bay, they laid themselves to their work, and the light boat
sped rapidly across the waters. In order that they might be sure of
striking the point where they had left the ship, they made first
for the island where they had been captured, and when day broke
were close beside it. They then shaped their course northwards, and
after two hours' paddling were in sight of the low island, which
they had first visited. By noon they reached the spot where, as
they judged, the Golden Hind had gone on the reef; but no sign
whatever of her was to be discovered. By the position in which the
island they had left lay they were sure that, although they might
be two or three miles out in their direction, they must be within
sight of the vessel, were she still remaining as they had left her.

There had been no great storm since she had grounded; and it was
unlikely, therefore, that she could have gone entirely to pieces.
This afforded them great ground for hope that she had beaten off
the reef, and proceeded on her voyage. Hitherto they had been
buoyed up with the expectation of again meeting their friends; but
they now felt a truly unselfish pleasure, at the thought that their
comrades and admiral had escaped the peril which threatened the
downfall of their hopes, and the termination of an enterprise
fairly and successfully carried out, so far.

There was nothing now for them but to make for Ternate. They found
no difficulty whatever in doing without water, their thirst being
amply quenched by the milk of the cocoas, and the juice of the
guavas and other fruits. They paddled for two days longer, working
steadily all day and far into the night, and passed one or two
islands.

In the course of the next day's passage they went within a short