ship he shook his head, to show that we couldn't get
aboard her; but when we pointed down to the shore he again took our
hands and led us on. We must have wandered by ourselves a long way, for
we were some time getting to the beach. There was not a sign of our
shipmates; we tried to ask where they had gone, but the natives hung
down their heads and looked sorrowful.

"Bill, something has happened," I said; "we must try to find out what it
is."

Our friend seemed to understand us better than the rest, so we asked him
to learn from them what had happened. After much talking with his
friends, he showed us by signs that the ship had fired a gun, and then
another, and another, and that the white men had hurried to the boats
and shoved off; that the largest boat with Mr Hudson had got out safe,
but that the smaller one was upset; some of the people in her were
drowned, and others swam out, and were picked up by the large boat.

This was, indeed, sad news. Which of our shipmates have been lost?
which of them have been saved? we asked one another. I had felt that if
the boats had gone without us, Captain Bolton would not forsake us, but
would put back to take us off as soon as he could. Now, however, he
would suppose that we had been lost, as very likely no one would have
observed that we were not with the rest, when they jumped into the
smaller boat to pull on board.

"Oh, Bill! Bill! here we are left among savages; may be we shall never
get away, but have to spend all the days of our lives with them," I
cried out in a mournful tone. Bill began to cry, too.

"Why, not long ago you wanted to remain," I could not help saying.

"That was when I thought that we should be flogged, and were sure to go
away," he answered.

"Do you know, Tom, I've heard say that some of these people are
cannibals; that is, they eat human flesh. Perhaps when they find that
the ship is gone, they'll kill and eat us."

I said I hoped not, but still I didn't feel very comfortable; for I knew
what he said was true.

There was now, however, no help for it. "Captain Bolton will believe
that we are lost, and when he gets home let our mothers know, and we
shall be mourned for as dead," said I.

"They won't mourn for me, and I don't care," said Bill.

"They will mourn for me, and I should be very sorry if I thought they
wouldn't," said I. "Ay Bill, often at night, when the storm has been
raging, and the sea running high, and it seemed a