of them back rather
sore."

"It checked them, then?"

"Yes, for a time, while we ran up that canvas and cleared away
everything that made it easy for them to swarm up over the bulwarks.
But they're so active that one's never safe."

"Hark! what's that?" cried Drew. "Someone called `help!'"

"It came from the cabin. Come along."

"Who's there?" said Drew.

"I left Smith with them, but he's here," panted the mate, as he passed
the sailor, who was hurrying back horrified by the cry he had heard.

They were just in time to see the cabin window blocked up by black
heads, whose owners were trying to force their way in, while a couple of
fierce-looking wretches had their clubs raised as if about to dash out
the brains of the two injured passengers.

There was no time to take aim. The mate and Drew both drew trigger as
they entered the cabin, when there was a savage yelling, the place
filled with smoke. Then as it rose, Oliver Lane and Panton could be
seen lying half fainting upon the cabin floor, and the open cabin window
was vacant.

"The brutes!" cried Drew, running to the window to lean out and fire the
second barrel of his piece at a group of the Papuans.

"Mind!" roared the mate, as Drew passed him, but his warning was not
heeded in the excitement. The need, though, was evident, for the young
man shrank away startled and horrified as half a dozen arrows came with
a whizz and stuck here and there in the woodwork, and two in the
ceiling, while a spear struck off his cap, and then fell and stuck with
a loud thud in the cabin floor, not a couple of inches from one of
Oliver Lane's legs.

"Hurt?" cried the mate, excitedly.

"Yes--no--I can't tell," said Drew, whose hands trembled as he reloaded
his gun.

"But you must know," cried the mate, seizing his arm and gazing at him
searchingly.

"No: I don't know," said Drew. "Something touched me, but I don't feel
anything now. I am certain, though: I am not wounded."

"For heaven's sake be careful, man!" cried the mate. "We have shelter
here and must make use of it. We are regularly besieged, and how long
it will last it is impossible to say."

As he spoke he dragged the little narrow mattress out of a bunk, and,
signing to Drew to take hold of one end, they raised it and placed it
across the window to act as a screen, while Mr Rimmer thrust out one
arm, got hold of a rope, and drew up the dead-light which was struck
several times before he got it per