ocoa-nut fibre to the several posts of the
hut in such a manner that they could stand up or lie down at pleasure.
George Goff, old Bob, and the others were led away. Seeing that they
were about to be separated, Captain Dall suddenly called out, "Farewell,
lads," in a tone so sad, that Goff looked back at him in surprise, but
his captors forced him away before he could reply.

"You think we won't see them again?" said Osten, when they were left
alone.

"I think not. From what I know of those savages, I fear they have taken
our comrades away to be sacrificed, and that our own time will soon
come."

Something between a groan and a growl escaped from O'Hale when this was
said.

"Cudn't we break thim ropes, and run amuck amongst the murtherin'
blackguards," he exclaimed, seizing the rope that bound him with his
teeth and endeavouring to tear it--an effort which it is needless to say
was futile, and nearly cost him a tooth.

"It's of no use, Larry," said the captain; "we can't help ourselves. If
the Lord don't help us, we're dead men."

Although Will Osten was much depressed, not to say alarmed, by what he
heard, he could not help wondering why the captain had so suddenly lost
his buoyant spirit. At the time when a slow death by starvation had
stared him in the face, he had not only retained his own heartiness of
spirit, but had kept up wonderfully the spirits of his companions. Now,
however--when, as Will thought, they had the chance of escaping by
stratagem or by force from their captors, or, at the worst, of selling
their lives dearly--his spirit seemed to have utterly forsaken him. Yet
the captain was only despondent--not despairing. He had seen the deeds
of savages in former years, and knew that with them there was seldom a
long period between the resolve to kill and the accomplishment of the
crime. He feared for the lives of his shipmates, and would have given
his right hand at that moment to have been free to aid them, but the
attempts of himself and his comrades to break their bonds were
fruitless, so, after making one or two desperate efforts, they sat down
doggedly to await their fate.

It might have been a curious study to have noted the different spirit in
which these unfortunate men submitted to their unavoidable doom on that
occasion. The captain sat down on a log of wood that chanced to be near
him, folded his hands quietly on his knees, allowed his head to sink
forward on his chest, and remai