w turned in, and though I
went to sleep in a moment I kept dreaming all the time that the pirates
were boarding us, that we were fighting desperately; sometimes Captain
Myers was on deck flourishing a cutlass, singing, "I'm afloat, I'm
afloat," and the "Rover is free," at others, with his cut-throat
companions, he was struggling in the water while old Tom was pelting
them with marline-spikes.

I was very thankful when I went on deck to find the schooner running on
with a fair breeze, and no land anywhere in sight. Mary and Fanny,
though they had been naturally very anxious, soon recovered their
spirits, and everything went on as pleasantly as could be desired,
Charles Tilston was well-informed, and made himself very agreeable, and
though he had no intention of becoming a sailor, he soon learned how to
take an observation, and could work it out as well as Harry himself. He
was always ready also to pull and haul and be as useful as he could. He
spent a portion of every day in giving Dick instruction in mathematics
and other subjects in which his brother was somewhat deficient, and he
also kindly offered to help me with my studies.

As Harry wished to obtain samples of such produce as the islands
afforded, he had settled to visit those which were at no great distance
from our course to the westward.

The first island we sighted after leaving the Pearl Islands was of
considerable size, with a lagoon in the centre. We observed at the
south-east end a broad entrance, through which it appeared we might pass
without difficulty into the lagoon. Near one side was a village, and
the whole island appeared thickly covered with cocoanut and other trees.
As from this it seemed probable that we might obtain some palm-oil, the
schooner was hove to, and Charlie Tilston and I, with Tom Tubb and three
other men, pulled for the shore. As we approached we saw a number of
natives rushing down to the beach, all fully armed; but they were not so
savage in appearance as those who had prevented us from landing on the
islands we had before visited. They shouted and gesticulated, however,
making signs that we must not attempt to set foot on shore.

We, however, still pulled on, and as we got closer, Tom Tubb hailed
them, and desired to know why they were so inhospitable. They
answered--

"We know why you have come. Not long ago a vessel appeared and carried
off a number of our people, and you will try to do the same; but we will
prev