e miles nearer to the shore, and at sunrise we were not
more than six miles from the land. Pentecost, from the treachery of its
savage inhabitants, had always borne a bad reputation; and so, as the
cutter still continued to drift shorewards, Alan, Captain Hannah and
myself thought it just as well to be prepared for any canoes that might
attempt to cut us off. (As-a matter of fact, however, we need not have
been under any alarm in this respect, for although the Pentecost natives
were, and are now, a thoroughly bad lot, as the surveying vessels of the
Australian Squadron know to their cost, they would never attempt to cut
off a vessel unless she were anchored. But no one of we white men
knew much of the New Hebrides.) So as we had plenty of arms on
board--Winchesters and Sharp's rifles--We got them in readiness; and
very fortunate it was that we did so.

We drifted steadily along the densely-wooded shores of Pentecost all
that day, the sea as smooth as glass, and the pitch bubbling up in the
decks from the intense heat. Towards sunset, Captain Hannah's wife, who
was lying on the skylight with her youngest child, called out to us that
she could see a boat or canoe on the starboard beam. Hannah and I at
once got our glasses, and soon made out a boat, pulling five oars,
coming towards us from the island, and not more than a couple of miles
away.

As she came nearer, and lifted now and then to the swell, we obtained a
better view, and saw there were six people in her--five pulling and one
steering. They came along very leisurely.

'Shipwrecked people, I imagine,' said Hannah; and then, turning to Alan
and myself, he added, with a laugh, 'Perhaps there's a fine big lump
of a ship ashore about here, and you fellows are bound to get some fine
pickings--might get the ship herself afloat.'

In ten minutes or so a bit of a light air came over the water, and
filled our sails, so we stood over towards the boat, which was now
drawing close. Presently one of our native sailors hailed us from aloft,
and said he could see four or five more men in the boat besides those
who were pulling; and at the same time she ceased rowing awhile, then
the oars dipped again, and she came on.

Suddenly Hannah, who was scanning the strange boat very closely, turned
to me quietly and said, 'I don't like the looks of that boat. We had
better not let them come alongside. Perhaps they're escapees from New
Caledonia. I thought so at first--they've got th