the boat seemed to dart away from
its burden.

It was none too soon, for the yellow haze seemed to be increasing
rapidly, and the wind, which at one minute was oppressively calm, came
the next in ominous hot puffs.

"Why, the schooner's sailing away from us," cried the captain suddenly.
"Hang me if I don't believe that scoundrel of a Malay has got to the
helm, and is taking her right away out of spite."

"Don't begin prophesying evil like that, captain," cried the doctor
sharply. "Here, man, I can pull; let's take an oar apiece and help."

"I wasn't croaking," growled the captain; "but whether or no, that's
good advice. No, no, youngster, you're not strong enough to pull."

"I can row," I said quickly; and the captain making no farther
objection, we three pulled for the next half-hour, giving the men a good
rest, when they took their turn, and we could see that while the haze
seemed nearer the schooner was quite as far-off as ever. There was a
curious coppery look, too, about the sun that made everything now look
weird and unnatural, even to the doctor's face, which in addition looked
serious to a degree I had never seen before.

"There'll be somebody pitched overboard--once I get back on deck, and no
boat ready to pick him up. Here, what does he mean?"

He stood up in the boat waving his hat to those on board the little
vessel; but no heed was paid, and the captain ground his teeth with
rage.

"I'll let him have something for this," growled the captain. "There,
pull away, men. What are you stopping for?"

The men tugged at their oars once more, after glancing uneasily at each
other and then at the sky.

"If I don't give him--"

"Let's get on board first, captain," said the doctor, firmly.

"Ay, so we will," he growled. "The brown-skinned scoundrel!"

"That's land, isn't it, captain?" I said, pointing to a low line on our
left.

"Ay, worse luck," he said.

"Worse luck, captain? Why, we could get ashore if we did not overtake
the schooner."

"Get ashore! Who wants to get ashore, boy? That's where my schooner
will be. He'll run her on the reefs, as sure as I'm longing for
two-foot of rope's-end and a brown back afore me."

"A crown apiece for you, my lads, as soon as you get us aboard," cried
the doctor, who had been looking uneasily at the men.

His words acted like magic, and the oars bent, while the water rattled
and pattered under our bows.

"That's the sort o' fire to get up steam