harp look-out was at all
times kept over us, and I don't think even the women would have wished
us to go, for we had to do a good deal of the work which would have
otherwise fallen to their lot. Though we were, as I was saying, used to
the life we led, we both wanted to get away.

"I've an old father down in Dorsetshire, and there's a bright young girl
who lives with him whom I would give something to see again; and Jack
sighed to go home, as he said, to see his father and mother, and a young
brother and sister. He used to talk much to me about you all, and it
seemed to me as if I knew you long before we ever met.

"We found that we were much farther from the sea than we had at first
supposed, for although we went a good way down the river we never
reached its mouth.

"The people in the village didn't lead quiet lives, for they were always
on the watch, fearing that they might be attacked by enemies. At night
they made fast their boats under their houses, and had their goods all
ready for a start into the woods, while they had men on the look-out
night and day to give notice should any strange vessels come up the
river.

"Jack and I agreed that if any enemies should come in the night we might
have a good chance of escaping, but from what we had seen of the fellows
who had attacked our boat we had no wish to fall into the hands of such
characters. We thought that we might manage to slip into a boat and
pull up the river and hide ourselves until the pirates had gone away.

"You must know that we did not wish any ill to our masters, for though
we were their slaves we had taken a liking to them, as they did not
ill-treat us, and gave us a good deal of time to ourselves.

"Weeks and months went by. We began to think that no enemy would come,
and that we must try to get off by some other means than that we had
first thought of. At last we saw the men sharpening their long knives
and polishing their spears, and new painting their shields.

"`Depend upon it there's something in the wind,' said Jack to me. `They
are going on a war expedition.'

"`No doubt about the matter,' I said, `and they'll want us to go with
them.'

"`Then we must take care not to go,' said Jack. `I for one won't be for
killing men, women, and children, as these fellows are likely to do. We
must pretend to be sick, or that we do not understand what they want of
us, and get off somehow or other.'

"Whether or not it was talking about bei