I saw him in the distance, but as I was
dressed as a native child, he did not recognise me.

Many months went by. I afterwards found that the white men had been
compelled to labour as slaves, though the mate had managed to gain the
confidence of one of the chiefs, and had risen in his favour. The proas
frequently went out of harbour, and were absent often for a considerable
time. When they came back they brought all sorts of things, which were
placed in their store houses, and were certainly not obtained by
peaceable commerce.

One day the young woman who had charge of me seemed very unhappy. I was
now able to understand all she said, so I asked her the cause of her
grief, and she told me that the chief whose slave the mate had become,
wanted to persuade her husband to give me up to him, and that she could
not bear the thoughts of parting from me. I entreated her to keep me,
and promised that if I was taken away I would run back to her. I then
asked her if she knew what had become of my friend Jack. She said he
was not far off, but that his master would not let him come to see me.
I begged her, at all events, not to let me be given up to the mate. She
at last told me one day that I need have no fear of the mate, as he had
disappeared, and was supposed to have made his way out to sea in a canoe
to a vessel which had appeared off the coast.

The pirates lived tolerably easy lives on shore, apparently believing
that though they must have made enemies in all directions, their village
was so securely hidden, they were not likely to be molested.

Thus time went on, when one night I was awoke by hearing a fearful
uproar, rapid reports of firearms, shouts and shrieks of men fighting
desperately. Presently flames burst forth from different parts of the
village. They were approaching the house where I was. The one next to
it was on fire. My kind protectress did not forget me. At first, not
knowing what to do, she had remained watching the progress of events,
hoping probably that the enemy would be driven back. When, however, the
fire surrounded her house, she saw that it was time to fly. Seizing me
in her arms she was about to do so, when the crackling and hissing
flames burst forth around us. At that moment a man leaped up the steps.
Though so long a time had passed since we had parted, I at once
recognised my friend Jack. Snatching me from the woman's arms, he
sprang down to the ground, telling her to follo