hingly to me, "mind that Malay
chap don't get out; and look here, it will be dark directly, hyste a
light for me to find my way back."

I nodded shortly, and stood with Jack Penny and the doctor watching the
boat till it seemed to be swallowed up in the thick darkness that was
gathering round, and the doctor left Jack Penny and me alone.

"I say," said Jack, who was leaning on the bulwarks, with his body at
right angles; "I say, Joe Carstairs, I've been thinking what a game it
would be if the captain never came back."

"What!" I cried.

"You and I could take the ship and go where we like."

"And how about the doctor?" I said scornfully.

"Ah!" he drawled, "I forgot about the doctor. That's a pity. I wish
he'd gone ashore too."

I did not answer, for it did not suit my ideas at all. The adventure I
had on hand filled my mind, and I felt annoyed by my companion's foolish
remark.

We had tea, and were sitting with the doctor chatting on deck, after
vainly trying to pierce the darkness with our eyes or to hear some
sound, when all at once the doctor spoke:

"Time they were back," he said. "I say, Skipper Carstairs, have you
hoisted your light?"

"Light!" I said excitedly. "What's that?" for just then a bright red
glow arose to our right in the direction of the shore.

"They're a making a bonfire," said Jack Penny slowly.

"Or burning a village," said the doctor.

"No, no," I cried; "it's that schooner on fire!"

"You're right, Joe," said the doctor excitedly. "Why, the savages must
have gone off and done this, and--yes, look, you can see the canoes."

"Here, I say, don't!" cried Jack Penny then, his voice sounding curious
from out of the darkness; and the same moment there was a rush, a
tremendous scuffle, Jimmy yelled out something in his own tongue, and
then lastly there were two or three heavy falls; and in a misty,
stupefied way I knew that we had been boarded by the savages and made
prisoners, on account of the outrage committed by the other captain.

What followed seems quite dream-like; but I have some recollection of
being bundled down into a boat, and then afterwards dragged out over the
sand and hurried somewhere, with savages yelling and shouting about me,
after which I was thrown down, and lay on the ground in great pain, half
sleeping, half waking, and in a confused muddle of thought in which I
seemed to see my father looking at me reproachfully for not coming to
his help, while all