Indeed, the valiant Larry would certainly have been drowned, but for the
aid extended to him by our hero, for he chanced to have been thrown into
the canoe with his face downwards near the stern, and as the water
gradually settled down there from the prow, which was raised on the
sand, it covered his mouth. Fortunately Will, who was near him, managed
to assist the unfortunate man in his struggles so as to enable him to
rest his head on the blade of a paddle!

When everything belonging to the crew of the _Foam_ had been collected,
the savages returned to their canoe, re-launched her, paddled out to
sea, and ere long left the little coral island out of sight behind them.

CHAPTER NINE.

CONTAINS AN ACCOUNT OF THE DESPERATE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE PRISONERS.

Five hours passed away, during which the savages continued to paddle
almost without intermission, and our hero with his friends lay fast
bound in the bottom of the canoe. They suffered great pain from the
swelling of their limbs and the tightening of the cords that bound them;
but although Larry O'Hale, in the exasperation of his spirit, gave vent
to one or two howls, accompanied by expressions that were the reverse of
complimentary, no attention was paid to them until the island towards
which they steered was reached.

The instant the canoe touched the sand the captives were lifted out--
their hands and feet were tied together in a bunch, and, each being
slung on a stout pole as one might sling a bundle, they were carried up
to a native village on the margin of a wood. On the way, Wandering Will
could see that the beach swarmed with natives--a fact, however, of which
his ears had already assured him, for the air was filled with yells of
delight as the captives were successively lifted out of the canoe. He
also observed that the island appeared to be a large one, for he got a
glimpse of a huge mountain rising over the tree tops. Neither he nor
any of his comrades, however, had time to make many observations, for
they were hurried up the beach and into the village, where they were
thrown down under a rudely built hut which was covered with broad
leaves.

Here the cords that fastened them were unloosed; but if this for a
moment raised the hope that they were about to be set free, they were
quickly undeceived by the savages, who rebound their hands behind them.
Our hero, Captain Dall, Mr Cupples, Larry O'Hale, and Muggins, were
then fastened with cords of c