ing to
support him, or he would have attempted to climb into the boat and had a
desperate battle for his life. As it was, without sacrificing Murray,
he could do neither. A savage was standing up, lifting a large
battle-axe, the bright steel of which glittered in the glare of the
burning ships, and was on the point of letting it fall with a crushing
blow on his head, and already Jack felt the horrible sensation of having
his skull crushed in and cleft asunder, when another man sprang forward
and seized the wretch's uplifted arm. He could only turn the blow
aside, for the axe came down, and the blade dug deeply into the side of
the boat. Jack seized it, for it formed a convenient handle on which to
rest, and afforded him a support he much required. He fully expected to
have another hack made at him, and was considering how best he might
avoid it, when the pirates seized him and Murray, and dragged them into
the boat. Still he did not feel much more secure than he had been in
the water, as he expected that, as they might treat a useless fish, they
would throw him overboard again when they had glutted their revenge by
knocking the life out of him.

"If poor Murray does not revive, he will be spared much of the
unpleasantness," he thought to himself. It is extraordinary how coolly
he took matters. He was rather surprised himself at his own
indifference to his approaching fate. The Chinese were all chattering
and vociferating together over him and Murray, as their bodies lay along
the thwarts, for he was so exhausted that he could scarcely move, when
he heard a voice say, "Don't fear, English officer. I take care you no
hurt."

"Very much obliged to you, whoever you are," answered Jack. "But I say,
friend, I wish that you could get me put into a more comfortable
position, and lend a helping hand to my poor companion here, who will be
suffocated, I fear, if something is not done to him."

"All right, by and by," answered the voice. "Let dese men hab dere
palaver out; dey no talk of kill 'ou now."

"That information is satisfactory, at all events," thought Jack. "Well,
I must have patience; that never hurt any one, and has saved many a
life. Only I do wish these fellows would bring their palaver to an end,
and let me find out who my friend is."

The pirates at last brought their conference to an end. They probably
came to the conclusion that, as a live donkey is of more value than a
dead one, and as profit