ere twenty men. They scrambled over the side, laughing
and talking, and then, just as the first five or six of them had been
served, the rain poured suddenly down and made such a terrific noise
that the shouts of the men in the other boats could not be heard, and
the ship was at once enveloped in a thick steamy mist, which rendered
even objects on deck invisible.

"It will only last about ten minutes," shouted Frewen to Ryan as they,
with Raymond and Malie, took shelter in the companion-way.

"Where are all those men of yours?" asked the mutineer somewhat
anxiously.

Frewen's answer reassured him. "All bolted for shelter," he said with a
laugh, "without even waiting to get their grog. I hope your men will let
them crawl in somewhere." Then turning to Malie, he said in English--

"Call to them, Malie."

Malie stepped out on the deck, and presently Ryan and the others heard
him speaking. In a minute or two I he reappeared with three or four
stalwart natives, all dripping wet, and said something to Raymond, who
translated the remark to Ryan.

"All the others have bolted like rabbits, some into the galley, and
others into the foc'sle," he said.

In less than the ten minutes predicted by Frewen the rain ceased as
if by magic; the natives gathered together again on the main deck,
completed their grog drinking, went into their boat again, and poshed
off to resume their labour.

In the course of another half an hour every one of the native boats'
crews had had his small tumblerful of neat rum, and then, as their
paddles plunged into the placid water, once more they sang their
chorus--

"_Ala, tamaaitii, Alo foe!_" ("Pull, boys, pull!")

CHAPTER XI

Six bells struck, and then once more the stars went out, and the sky
changed from blue to dull grey.

"Very heavy rain will fall again presently," said Raymond to the leader
of the mutineers, "and as the ship is well now in the counter current
and out of danger, the chief would like to call his men alongside for a
rest. But we'll tow you for another mile or so after the rain ceases--if
you wish it."

Ryan was keenly anxious to put as much distance between the land and
the _Esmeralda_ as possible, for he was haunted by the fear that the
captain's boat had been picked up by some ship which might be sighted at
any time. The further away from the land, the safer he would feel.

"I should like them to tow me along for another hour or two, after the
rain is oyer,"