ing with the rest. Queerface and Polly had, therefore, no fancy to
be left behind, so off they set also, though they took care to keep in
the rear of their friends.

The Malays had reached the beach, and some were swimming and others
wading off to their boats, when the two midshipmen and their followers
got up with them. All were too eager to escape to attempt to offer any
resistance. Jack had to recollect that they really were most atrocious
robbers, or he could scarcely have brought himself to allow his men to
fire on them. Not many shots, however, were fired, for the last
cartridge in their pouches was expended. Happily, the Malays were in
too great a hurry to be off, to turn and let fly at them. The frigate,
under all sail, was coming round the point on the left hand, while the
prahus were endeavouring to get away out of the range of her shot to the
right or south side of the island. They were catching it, however,
pretty severely, and more than one appeared to be in a sinking
condition. The midshipmen were now eager to try and get their own boats
afloat, but they were in an utterly unfit state for launching, so all
they could do was to make signals to the frigate that she might return
and take them off, after she had destroyed the pirates. This there was
very little doubt she would do. In the eagerness of the chase, however,
Jack bethought him that those on board would very likely not observe
their signals.

"Never mind," cried Adair, as a bright thought struck him; "we'll send
Polly off; she'll carry our message." A note was accordingly written on
the leaf of a pocket-book, and being secured under Polly's wing, Adair
lifted her up, and showing her the frigate, gave her a shove off towards
it. She seemed to know exactly what was expected of her, for, giving
one glance only round at her friends, away she darted towards the ship.
They watched her anxiously till she was lost to sight. Still, they had
little doubt about her reaching her destination, and in the course of a
very few minutes their anxiety was relieved by their seeing a flag run
up to the mast-head of the frigate, while a gun was fired to leeward.
She, however, passed before them, and soon disappeared again on the
other side of the island. A rapid and continuous fire told them what
she was about. Jack and Adair would gladly have gone round to see what
was occurring, but the distance was considerable, over hot burning sand
and rocks, and the