_Planet_, as to the blacks who were now a
couple of hundred yards on the other side, but who now ran back, yelling
furiously.

"Quick, ropes, and haul us up!" shouted Oliver, and a terribly long
space of time elapsed, or seemed to, before three ropes were cast over
the bulwarks, and seized.

"Haul away!" roared Smith, "or they'll have us, lads!" and it was a very
close shave, for, as they were run up, the savages reached the brig's
side, and seizing the ropes, began to drag, expecting to pull the
fugitives down.

But by this time they had seized the bulwarks, and as a spear and club
were thrown, swung themselves over on to the deck, to help in a kind of
game of French and English, ending by their jerking the ropes out of the
blacks' hands, and sending them to the right about, with a volley from
the ready guns.

"My dear boys," cried Panton, wringing his friends' hands as soon as he
was at liberty. "I was afraid I was left in the lurch."

"Why?" said Oliver.

"No, no, I mean that you were all killed. Where's Mr Rimmer?--don't
say he's dead."

"I would almost rather have to say so," said Oliver, "for he seems to
have forsaken us."

"Gone?"

"Yes; in the lugger, and run for it."

"To get help, or come back in the dark to help us."

"That's what I want to think," said Oliver, "but it is so hard to do so,
after what I have seen."

"Never mind that now," cried Panton, excitedly. "The niggers are
reinforced--so are we, though, thank goodness--and before long they'll
make a big attack. We've had two or three little ones, with no
particular luck on either side. Ready to fight?"

"Of course."

"Then take a station, and mind this, we can't afford to show mercy.
It's war to the knife, our lives or theirs."

They soon had abundant evidence that this was to be the case, for before
they had much time to think, there was a loud yelling and the brig was
surrounded by a gesticulating mob of savages, who advanced, sending
their arrows sharply against the sides of the vessel, shaking their war
clubs, and making fierce darts with their spears wherever they imagined
a white to be crouched.

This went on for an hour or two, and as no real danger threatened so
long as they did not attempt to scale the sides, the firing was
withheld, and Panton and his lieutenant, Oliver Lane, contented
themselves with finishing the elaborate arrangements made against attack
by the mate with a plan or two of their own, which consiste