over the side, despite their struggles, and
their loud cries to their native friends, of whom they could see nothing
whatever.

The boat's line was cast off, and as she fell astern the boys saw that
a number of sailors were aloft, loosing her light sails, and in a few
minutes she was some distance away from them, heading to the eastward
with a light breeze. As quickly as possible the two boys set the boat's
sail, and sailing and pulling, they ran straight for the weather side of
the island, crossed over the reef into the lagoon, and gave the alarm to
the first people they met.

"Good lads," said Flemming, "you have done all that you could do. We
shall see presently what can be done to save our men."

Then turning to his wife, he bade her get ready enough provision for
his three boats, and have them launched and manned by their usual crews,
whilst he went to the mission to consult with Father Billot and the
chiefs, for he had already heard from one of the excited natives that
the barque was still very near the land, and almost becalmed; and he
knew that the Anaa natives would to a man assist him in recovering the
four men from captivity.

Half way to the mission house, he met the priest himself, hurrying along
the shaded path, to tell him the further news that the two canoes which
had accompanied the boat had just returned, after narrowly escaping
capture by the barque. It appeared that they, too, had seen the barque
crawling along under the lee of the land and close in to the reef, just
as daylight broke, and from the number of boats she carried--she had
two towing, as well as three others on deck--they imagined her to be
a whaler. They paddled up alongside without the slightest suspicion
of danger, and three or four of their number in the first canoe were
clambering up the side when they suddenly sprang overboard, just as
three or four grapnels with light chains were thrown from the bulwarks
over the canoes so as to catch their outriggers, and capsize them. Most
fortunately, however, only one of the grapnels caught--it fell upon the
wooden grating or platform between the outrigger and the hull of
one canoe, and was quickly torn away by the desperate hands of the
natives--in less than a minute both canoes were clear of the ship, and
racing shoreward without the loss of a single man. No attempt was made
to follow them in the barque's boats, her ruffianly captain and crew
evidently recognising that there was no chance