owance, and that would be infinitely
better than running the risk of your going ashore."

"The water might last if all goes well," the mate said, "but if we were
to get becalmed for some time, which is likely enough in these
latitudes, we should be in an awkward fix. I shall keep a sharp look-out
on shore, never fear. The distance to the spring is, as I told you, not
above fifty yards, and I will keep half the men filling and the other
half on guard. If they should mean mischief we will give it them hot."

"How many men will you take?"

"Sixteen--ten in the cutter and six in the gig."

"That would only leave us ten on board," Mr. Atherton said. "If they
attack you they will attack us too, that is a moral certainty. At any
rate, I will hint to some of the passengers that they had better keep
their arms in readiness while you are away."

Mr. Atherton refused to go down to breakfast when the Allens came up to
relieve him after finishing their meal.

"We will have both watches on deck this morning," he said. "We shall be
very short-handed while Ryan and his party are away. Unfortunately the
captain is convinced there is not the slightest danger. He snubbed me
this morning quite smartly when I said casually that I supposed that he
would not let any of the natives on board while Ryan was away."

As the rest of the passengers came up from breakfast, Mr. Atherton spoke
to some of those with whom he had been most intimate on the voyage, and
told them that he thought it would be just as well for them to bring
their arms on deck and keep them close at hand until the watering party
returned.

"It is no great trouble," he said, "and it is just as well to be ready
in case the natives mean mischief. I know that some of the youngsters
consider me to be an alarmist, and I will give them free leave to laugh
at me when we are once safely out at sea, but the stake is too heavy to
admit of carelessness; there are not only our own lives but those of the
ladies to be thought of."

Three or four of the passengers followed this advice and brought their
muskets or double-barrelled guns on deck. They were a good deal laughed
at by the rest, who asked them if they had joined Atherton's army, as
the little party who had kept watch were called. However, when the boats
pushed off with the empty casks, and the passengers saw how large was
the complement of the crew who had left them, three of the others
strolled down to the cabin and got the