gth another expedition was talked of against a powerful tribe at
some distance. He told Dick he must prepare to accompany him. I begged
that I might go, too.

"No, Charley; you must stay at home," answered Dick. "I have no wish to
go and fight other savages in a quarrel in which I have no concern, and
I would not go if I could stay away without offending the chief. I
don't want to kill any of the fellows, and I don't wish to be killed
either."

The warriors were preparing to take their departure, when, early in the
morning, as I was looking out over the sea, I caught sight of a ship
approaching the island. I watched her eagerly, and when, at length, I
felt sure she was standing towards the harbour, I ran back to tell Dick.
The natives had been so busy in preparing their weapons, that they had
not observed her. Fortunately, no one saw me.

"Now is our chance, then," exclaimed Dick. "Come along, Charley: we
will jump into a canoe, and maybe we shall get away from the shore
before the savages miss us."

Without a moment's delay we hurried down to the beach, taking some
paddles out of a canoe-hut on our way. We launched a canoe, which we
found hauled up on the shore, and paddled with might and main out to
sea. The water was smooth, and, though the wind was against us, we made
good progress. The ship came on. We were alongside. Ropes were
hove-to us, and, making the canoe fast, we scrambled up on deck.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

ESCAPE FROM THE ISLAND.

"Some savages come on board, sir," I heard the mate sing out to the
captain, a fine-looking man, who was standing near the wheel; "an old
and a young one."

"No, please you, sir," said Dick, stepping aft. "We are not savages,
but unfortunate Englishmen. We have had a hard job to make our escape
from the savages, though, and if you will take my advice, sir, you will
not go into that harbour; for if you do, you will run a chance of being
treated as our ship was."

"How is that, my man?" asked the captain; and Dick thereupon told him
the way in which the _Dolphin_ had been cut off, and how all had been
kept prisoners for upwards of two years by the natives.

"I thank you for the warning, my friend," said the captain, "and we will
be on our guard against treachery. I think, however, that if we show
that we are well armed and on the watch, we need not fear them. We are
in want of water, wood, and vegetables, and by letting the natives
understand that we