their position, and, what was of more
consequence, enabling us with less difficulty to see our way through the
passage. The canoes now came paddling on, the savages probably fearing
that we should escape them.

"We must not let them attack us in the channel," said Harry, and he
reluctantly gave Tom the order to fire. Our guns were discharged in
quick succession, and the next instant we saw the canoes paddling away
in the utmost confusion; but it was too dark to ascertain what injury
had been inflicted. We had soon to haul aft the sheets, and to devote
all our attention to the navigation of our vessel--old Tom going forward
to look out for dangers, and Harry standing aft to direct the helmsman
and conn the vessel, while the crew were at their stations; I standing
by the main-sheet with others to flatten it aft or ease it off as might
be necessary. Now and then I took a look astern to ascertain if the
canoes were following us, but could only just make them out, showing
that the savages had had enough of it, though they might have annoyed us
greatly had they boldly attacked us while we were standing through the
passage. In a short time the outer part of the reef was passed, and the
breeze freshening we were gliding swiftly over the moonlit sea.

CHAPTER FOUR.

When morning broke, the reef-encircled islands could be indistinctly
seen over the port-quarter rising out of the sparkling ocean. The wind
being against us we expected to have a long beat before we could reach
our destination; but Harry resolved to persevere, hoping that we might
get a favourable breeze at last. Things on board went on as usual.
After I had had my sleep out in the forenoon I gave Dick a lesson in
navigation, which I had done regularly every day of late since I
discovered that he was anxious to learn.

"I am most grateful to you, Mr Ned," he said. "If I can fit myself to
be an officer I shall not be ashamed to return home, which I should have
had I gained no more knowledge than I should have done under ordinary
circumstances, as a ship's boy."

"Much depends on the way you work, and whether you keep to your good
resolutions," I observed. "But I say, Dick, you have never told me
anything about yourself; though from the first I saw that you had had a
good education."

"To tell you the truth, my father is a merchant in London, and my mother
moves in good society," he answered, speaking rapidly. "She was very
fond of me, and I do not