sent
the weapon spinning along about a yard above the sand; but it did not
begin to rise, and before it dropped one of the men caught it cleverly
and sent it back with such accuracy that Jackum caught it in turn and
handed it to the boy.

Carey threw again half-a-dozen times, for the curved blade to be caught
by one or the other, no matter how wildly diverse were the casts, and
sent back to Jackum, who never missed a catch, standing perfectly calm
and at the proper moment darting out his right or left hand, when
_flip_, he had it safely and handed it back, grinning with delight.

"White boy no fro boomerang," he said.

"No," cried Carey, who was hot and irritable with the failure attending
his exertions. "You're cheating me; this one won't go."

"No make um go," cried Jackum, slapping his thighs and dancing with
glee.

"No; it's a bad one; it won't fly back."

"Yes, fly bird come back."

"But it doesn't when I throw it."

"No, won't come back."

"And it won't when those black fellows throw."

Black Jackum understood him perfectly and threw himself down on the hot
sand to roll himself over in the exuberance of his delight.

"Look here," cried Carey, growing more irritated; "you're a cheat. You
knew that thing wouldn't go when you gave it to me. Get up, or I'll
kick you."

He made a rush to put his threat in execution, but the black rolled over
and sprang up laughing.

"White boy get wild likum big Dan. No fro boomerang. Look, see."

"It's too bad, you're a cheat. Bad one. Bah!" cried Carey, throwing
the wooden blade down. "You've changed it."

"Look, see," cried the black, catching it up; and in the most effortless
way he sent it skimming along the sand right away, full fifty yards
beyond the farthest fielder, before it began to mount high in the air,
executing a peculiar series of twirls and flutterings as it came back,
till the momentum died out as it dropped not half-a-dozen yards from
Carey's feet.

"Ah!" cried the boy, excitedly, "I see how you do it now. Here, let me
try."

"Jackum fro makum come back ebry war."

"Yes, but let me try."

_Bang, bang_, came softened by the distance, and, looking sharply in the
direction of the stranded vessel, two faint puffs of white smoke were
visible.

"What does that mean?" cried Carey, as he saw the fielders come running
towards him.

"Big Dan shoot, shoot. Say go hunt, get bird to cookie, cookie. Come,
run fas'."

He set the example an