pily at that moment the ship again fired. Mr Brand at
the same time seized the muskets and discharged them one after the other
over the heads of our pursuers. Again they wavered, some even turned
their canoes about, two or three only advanced slowly, the rest ceased
paddling altogether. This gave us a great advantage, and without
waiting to let Mr Brand reload the muskets, we paddled away with our
hopes of escape much increased. Some minutes elapsed, when the courage
of the savages returned, and fearing that we might altogether escape
them, they all united in the pursuit. The breeze, however, freshened,
the ship rapidly clove the waters, and before the canoes had regained
the distance they had lost, we were alongside. Loud shouts of welcome
broke from every quarter of the _Triton_ as we clambered up her side.

I will not attempt to describe the meeting of Jerry and his father.
Captain Frankland, indeed, received us all most kindly and heartily.
For a long time he had given us up as lost, but still he had continued
the search for us. The _Dove_ had been captured by the American
corvette, and soon afterwards he had fallen in with her. From the
pirates on board the little schooner he discovered that we were on board
the large one. He had pursued her for several months, till at length,
passing our island, he had observed our flag-staff and our hut still
standing. This was, fortunately, after our second visit, when we had
altered the inscriptions on the trees. The gale which had wrecked the
pirate had driven the _Triton_ somewhat to the southward of her course
for the Bonins, whither she was bound to look for us; and thus, by a
wonderful coincidence, she appeared at the very moment her coming was of
most importance to rescue us from slavery, if not, more probably, from a
horrible death.

The savages, when they saw that we were safe on board the ship, finally
ceased from the pursuit. Captain Frankland kept the ship steadily on
her course, ordering five or six guns to be fired without shot over
their heads, as a sign of the white man's displeasure. After the first
gun, the savages turned round their canoes, and, in terror and dismay,
made the best of their way to the shore. The _Triton_ was then steered
for the coast of Japan.

It was not till some days afterwards that Jerry gave me an account of
what had befallen him among the savages. "I was in a horrible fright
when the savage dragged me off," he said. "I