take aim. Every
one was well aware of the doctor's power of shooting, and waited the
result with bated breath. The savage seemed to bend backward for the
cast of the spear. At that moment the crack of the doctor's rifle was
heard, and the right arm of the savage fell.

Another savage caught up the spear, and urged his comrades, apparently,
to back the canoe still further; but they had got a fright, and were
evidently unwilling to do so. Before they could make up their minds,
another shot from the doctor's rifle sent the second savage headlong
into the bottom of the canoe.

"Give them a volley now, lads," he said, turning round and resuming his
place at the helm; "but fire high."

The rattling volley which followed, and the whistle of the leaden hail
over their heads, quickly settled the savage minds. One of their
paddles, which chanced to be held aloft at the moment, was shot into
splinters, and precipitated their decision. With a howl of rage and
terror they dipped their paddles into the sea and flew ahead.

"Be ready there," cried the doctor, as he anxiously guided the boat.

Teddy Malone, Morris, Dominick, and Jabez leaned eagerly over the bows
with outstretched arms and clawlike fingers. Another moment and Queen
Pina with Otto were rescued from the deep, as well as from several
sharks, which, doubtless, had been licking their lips at the prospect of
the royal feast in store for them.

"Ain't you goin' to carry on, an' sink the varmints?" exclaimed Jabez in
surprise, as the doctor put the helm hard down, and prepared to return
home.

"No," replied the doctor sharply.

During the voyage out the crew of the wrecked ship had become intimately
acquainted with the doctor's qualities, among others that there was a
certain quiet tone in his "no" which was final. To put the belligerents
of the party more at rest, however, Dominick backed his friend up by
adding that he had no ill-will to the miserable savages; that they had
been punished enough already; that they had got all they wanted from
them; and that as their own party consisted chiefly of settlers, not
warriors, there was no occasion for fighting.

"Speak for yourself, Dom," cried Otto, as he wrung the water out of his
garments. "If I was in that canoe with a good carving-knife, I'd be
warrior enough to give a settler to the baboon wi' the swelled nose who
crammed me into a--"

The remainder of the speech was drowned in laughter, for Otto spoke wi