, and that you had driven off the craft that
were lying between us and the ship. A minute later the round shot came
crashing among the trees, and almost immediately the yelling round us
ceased, and we felt sure they must be drawing off. We waited until you
had fired a couple more rounds, and then as all seemed quiet we fell
back to the boats, and, as you saw, got off without a single spear
being thrown at us. I am awfully sorry for the poor captain. If he had
but taken your advice, Mr. Atherton, all this would not have happened;
but at last he got to trust these treacherous scoundrels, and this is
the result."

"Well, Mr. Ryan, you are in command now," Mr. Atherton said, "and we are
all ready to carry out any orders that you will give us."

"First of all then, Mr. Atherton, I must, in the name of the owners of
this ship, of myself, the officers and crew, thank you for having saved
it and us from the hands of these savages. From what Mr. Rawlins tells
me, and from what I know myself, I am convinced that had it not been for
your vigilance, and for the part you have taken in the defence of the
ship, the natives would have succeeded in their treacherous design of
massacring all on board almost without resistance."

A cheer broke from the passengers and crew, and Mr. Renshaw said when it
had subsided: "I, on the part of the passengers, endorse all that Mr.
Ryan has said; we owe it to you, Atherton, that by God's mercy we and
those dear to us have escaped from death at the hands of these savages.
It was you who put some of us on our guard; it was your marvellous
shooting with the revolver that first cleared the poop; and your
extraordinary strength, that enabled you single-handed to check the
onslaught of the natives and give us time to rally from our first
surprise, and saved the ship and us."

"Do not let us say anything more about it," Mr. Atherton said; "we have
all done our duty to the best of our power, and have reason to be
heartily thankful to God that we have got out of this scrape without
heavier loss than has befallen us. Now, Mr. Ryan, please give your
orders."

"The first thing, undoubtedly, is to clear the deck of these bodies,"
Mr. Ryan said.

"What about the wounded?" Mr. Renshaw asked, "no doubt some of the poor
wretches are still alive."

"They do not deserve any better fate than to be tossed overboard with
the others; still, as that would go against the grain, we will see what
we can do." He looked