ge; for although the lads now sent several
round shot at them, these did not produce any effect, the canoes
being but small objects to hit at a distance, when on the move, and
the culverins being old pieces, and but little adapted for accurate
shooting.

The fleet were soon seen to gather again, and after a little pause
they started in a body, as before, along the coast.

"They are going to make a landing elsewhere," Ned said, "and we
shall have to meet them in the open. It is a pity that we have no
beasts of burden to which to harness our pieces; for as these are
only ships' guns, it is impossible for us to drag them at a speed
which would enable us to oppose their landing. Where are all the
natives?"

At the first alarm a large body of the islanders had assembled upon
the cliff, but in the excitement of watching the approaching enemy,
their movements had not been noticed. It was now seen that the
whole of them had left the spot, and not a single native was in
sight.

"I think," Ned said, "we had better fall back and take up a
position near the house, and repel their attack with the assistance
of the guns mounted there. With muskets only, we should not have
much chance of preventing their landing; and indeed they will row
much faster along the coast than we could run to keep up with
them."

The governor agreed in the justice of Ned's view, and the whole
force were now ordered to fall back towards the castle. As they
proceeded they saw large bodies of the natives. These, however,
kept at a distance; but their exultant shouts showed that they must
be considered to have gone over to the enemy.

"I will make you pay for this," the governor said, stamping his
foot and shaking his fist angrily in their direction. "Each man
shall have to furnish double the amount of spice for half the
amount of calico, for the next five years. Ungrateful dogs! When we
have done so much for them!"

Ned could scarcely help smiling to himself, at the thought of the
many benefits which the Portuguese had bestowed upon these
unfortunate islanders, whom they had reduced from a state of happy
freedom to one which, whatever it might be called, was but little
short of slavery.

It was late in the evening before great numbers of the enemy were
seen approaching, and these, swelled as they were by the population
of the island, appeared a formidable body, indeed, by the side of
the handful of white men who were drawn up to defend the place. T