h locks of his own
piece, and felt the flap of his cartridge satchel to try whether
everything was handy if he had to reload; and just then, as they glided
silently along in the full glare of the great artificial star, a feeling
of angry resentment ran through him, and he said half aloud--

"Serve them right. Why can't they leave us alone?"

"And so say all of us, Mr Jack," whispered Ned, startling him he
addressed, for he was not aware that his words were heard.

The only sounds to be heard now were the regular heavy boom of the
breakers on the reef--a sound so deep and constant that it had already
begun to count as nothing, and curiously enough did not seem to
interfere with their hearing anything else, acting as it did like the
deep bass in an orchestra or great organ, and making the lighter,
higher-pitched notes more clear--and the light soft dip of the boat's
oars as the men silently pulled home.

Then, all at once, as Jack strained his ears to catch the paddling of
the canoes, the deep voice of Captain Bradleigh rang out as if from the
other side of the yacht.

"Ahoy! What boat's that?"

Then in the midst of a dead silence there was a quick flash, and Jack
held his breath, expecting to hear the report of a gun, but his eyes
conveyed the meaning of the flash, not his ears.

The darkness was profound, for the light from the great star had been
shut off in their direction, and directly after the shape of the
graceful yacht stood out clearly, every spar and rope defined against a
softly diffused halo as the star was made to perform the duties of a
search-light, sweeping the lagoon beyond and showing plainly the long
low shapes of four great canoes, each with its row of men, and about a
quarter of a mile away.

Then all was black as pitch.

"Now for it, my lads," whispered the mate. "Pull with all your might."

The men made the water hiss as they drew hard at the long tough ash
blades, and above this sound they could hear the hurry and rattle of
something going on aboard the yacht. Quick short orders were issued;
then Captain Bradleigh's voice was heard again.

"Ahoy there! Sir John!"

"Right. Here we are."

What the captain said in reply was confined to the word "Thank--" The
rest was smothered by a sharp crash, and a check which took the small
boat in which Jack sat sharply up against the other's stern.

The crash was followed by a savage yelling and splashing; and as they
went on again direct