e carefully manoeuvred his steering oar; the men pulled a
slow, silent, and steady stroke; and fortunately for all, the Malays
were so intent upon the fire that they did not alter the positions of
their vessels.

For a very short time the boat was in the black shadow cast by the
stern; then they were floating as it were on golden waters; and the same
feeling animated every breast, though it remained an unspoken thought:
This is all in vain; we must be seen and brought back.

"A little more room there; sit close; move steadily," said the
first-mate hoarsely. "Now two more oars."

These were laid in the rowlocks silently, and with four men pulling in
place of two the heavily-laden boat made more rapid progress, so that
before long there was a space of several hundred yards between the
fugitives and the flaming ship, and they could look at the two praus
lying a short distance away without so much fear of being seen.

"Steady, my lads! pull!" said the mate, whose was the only face turned
from the ship, and as he stood in the stern his shadow was cast upon the
water.

"Were you hurt, father?" said Mark.

"No, my lad, not much," said the captain. "The explosion struck us both
down. That was all."

Nothing more was said, for everyone was too much intent upon the sight
before them, one which was grand in the extreme, and lit up the ocean
far and wide. The main and fore-masts were blazing right to the very
trucks, and as the fugitives watched the mizzen-mast caught, and they
could see the flames leap from spar to spar, running along ropes with
quite a rapid motion, while great burning drops seemed to keep falling
toward the deck. By rapid degrees the burning ship now assumed the
aspect of a pyramid of fire, sails, yards, cordage, and masts being all
involved, while from the blazing cone a steady burst of great golden
sparks rose toward a huge purple canopy, all folds and wreathing volumes
edged with orange and gold, the cloud of smoke that floated lazily in
the heated air.

By degrees the sparks became invisible, and the flames were merged, many
tongues in one, as the distance was increased; while the praus, out of
whose sight it was no longer necessary to keep, looked comparatively
small, with their sides still glistening in the light.

"There is no occasion to keep silence now," said the captain quietly.
"We are far out of hearing."

"What caused that explosion there?" said the mate, as he seated himself
now,