s at the helm. As soon as he observed us, he
appeared to speak to the crew of his boat, and they commenced pulling
with greater vigour than before. He then hailed us,--"Holloa, lads!
where's Frazer? Are you going to leave him on the island!"

We pulled on in silence.

"He is looking for you now, somewhere along shore; he left us, just
below the point, to find you; you had better pull back and bring him
off."

"All a trick," said Morton; "don't waste any breath with them;" and we
bent to the oars with new energy.

"The young scamps mean to give the alarm," I could hear Luerson mutter
with an oath, as he surveyed, for a moment, the interval between the two
boats, and then the distance to the point.

"There's no use of mincing matters, my lads," he cried, standing up in
the stem; "we have knocked the first officer on the head, and served
some of those who didn't approve of the proceeding in the same way; and
now we are going to take the ship."

"We know it, and intend to prevent you," cried Morton, panting with the
violence of his exertions.

"Unship your oars till we pass you, and you shall not be hurt," pursued
Luerson in the same breath; "pull another stroke at them, and I will
serve you like your friend, Frazer, and he lies at the spring with his
throat slit!"

The ruffian's design, in this savage threat, was doubtless to terrify us
into submission; or, at least, so to appal and agitate us, as to make
our exertions more confused and feeble. In this last calculation he may
have been partially correct, for the threat was fearful, and the danger
imminent; the harsh, deep tones of his voice, with the ferocious
determination of his manner, sent a thrill of horror to every heart.
More than this, he could not effect; there was not a craven spirit among
our number.

"Steadily!" said Arthur, in a low, collected tone; "less than five
minutes will bring us within hail of the ship."

But the minutes seemed hours, amid such tremendous exertions, and such
intense anxiety. The sweat streamed from the faces of the rowers; they
gasped and panted for breath; the swollen veins stood out on their
foreheads.

"Perhaps," cried Luerson, after a pause, "perhaps there is some one in
that boat who desires to save his life; whoever drops his oar shall not
be harmed; the rest die."

A scornful laugh from Morton was the only answer to this tempting offer.

Luerson now stooped for a moment and seemed to be groping for somethin