ding no further incentive to exertion, cramming their food
into their mouths, threw out their oars and away we flew over the now
calm surface of the ocean. As I looked over the starboard quarter I saw
that several of the canoes had shoved off from the beach and were coming
after us. Had there been a breeze we should have had no chance of
escaping them. In a short time the whole fleet was after us. The
savages probably reckoned on our not knowing the shortest passages
through the reefs, but Medley and I kept a bright look-out, I making a
good use of my telescope. Now we had the coral rocks rising close to
us. Several times I could see the bottom as we dashed on. Occasionally
we had to turn either to the east or west, but still we were rapidly
nearing the ship. My chief fear was that other canoes might be waiting
further to the north and dash out upon us.

While standing up I brought my glass to bear on the ship. How thankful
I felt when I became certain that she was the "Lady Alice." She had at
all events escaped any accident from the hurricane, and I had no doubt
that we should beat off the savages should they venture to attack her.
Looking astern I saw to my satisfaction that we were greatly distancing
the canoes, so that we should have time after getting on board to make
preparations for their reception. At length we were discovered by our
friends on board, for we saw several persons waving signals of welcome
to us from the forecastle. Greatly to my relief also I saw that the
ship was at anchor at some distance from the shore, while beyond her to
the north-west the sea appeared free from reefs. Captain Bland shook my
hand heartily.

"We had given you up for lost," he said; "we heard that you were away
from your ship when the hurricane came on, and that there was no chance
of your getting on board her."

"How could you hear that?" I asked, much surprised.

"From the second mate and his crew, whom we took on board. Very glad I
was to have them, as they were of the greatest assistance during the
gale, though I fear Captain Hake must have been hard put to it without
them."

I interrupted my old friend by telling him of the approach of the
canoes. He was not a man to disregard a warning. The boarding nettings
were at once triced up, the small arms got from below, and the guns
loaded. I inquired anxiously for Mary and her mother, who were not on
deck.

"They suffered much during the hurricane, but a