rew nearer. We saw that she was a whaler, with
the English colours flying at the peak. She rounded to, and we went
alongside. "What has happened?" exclaimed several voices, as old Tom's
body was seen lying in the stern-sheets. A few words told our tale. I
was able to climb up the side, but Pearson and Green were so stiff from
their wounds that they had to be helped up. They were far more hurt
indeed than they had supposed, especially Pearson; but his dauntless
spirit had hitherto kept him up. Our boat was hoisted on board, and old
Tom's body was taken out and laid on deck. We were treated with great
kindness, and the captain, greatly to my satisfaction, volunteered to
give old Tom Christian burial. He had, as we supposed, intended to go
into the harbour to obtain wood and water, and to trade with the
natives; but when he heard of what had occurred he resolved to steer for
a port farther south, and he told me that he was very grateful to us for
giving him warning of the danger which he otherwise would have run.

In the evening I saw my poor friend lashed up in a hammock, and
committed to his ocean grave.

All night long I was dreaming of him and of the dreadful scenes I had
witnessed.

The ship was the _Juno_. Her commander, Captain Knox, was a very
different sort of person to my late captain; and from his kind manner,
and the way he spoke to the officers and men, he seemed truly to act the
part of a father to his crew. The ship had been out a year and a half,
and it was expected she would remain another year in the Pacific.

Though I was anxious to get home, yet when the captain asked me to enter
on board, I was very glad to do so. Pearson continued to suffer
fearfully from his wounds. Whether the deed he had done preyed on his
mind, I cannot say; but a high fever coming on, he used to rave about
the savages, and the way he had blown them up. At the moment he
committed the deed I daresay he had persuaded himself that he was only
performing a justifiable act of vengeance. The day before we entered
the harbour to which we were bound he died, and poor Green did not long
survive him, so that I alone was left of all the crew of the ill-fated
_Fox_.

STORY ONE, CHAPTER 7.

The captain of the _Juno_ took every precaution to prevent her being
surprised by the Indians. Boarding nettings were triced up round the
ship every night, and the watch on deck had arms ready at hand. None of
the natives were al