ea. Wilfrid, will you run down and ask the ladies to get
up to the top of the companion all the mattrasses, trunks, and other
things that would do to form a barricade? It will be a good thing for
them to have something to do. Mr. Rawlins, will you send down the
stewards to help? they might get some cases and barrels up. As fast as
they bring them up we will push them along the deck and form a
breastwork."

CHAPTER VIII.

THE END OF THE VOYAGE.

When Wilfred went below to get materials for a barricade, he found the
ladies kneeling or sitting calm and quiet, although very pale and white,
round the table, while Mrs. Renshaw was praying aloud. She concluded her
prayer just as he came down. There was a general chorus of questions.

"Everything is going on well," Wilfrid said cheerfully; "but we want to
make a breastwork, for the spears are flying about so, one cannot stand
up to fire at them. I have come to ask you all to carry up mattrasses
and pillows and cushions and portmanteaus, and anything else that will
make a barricade. The steward will open the lazaret and send up barrels
and things. Please set to work at once."

Not a moment was lost; the ladies carried the things rapidly up the
companion, two of the passengers passed them outside, and others lying
in a line pushed them forward from one to another until they arrived at
those lying, rifle in hand, twenty feet aft of the poop rails. There was
soon a line of mattrasses four deep laid across the deck.

"That will do to begin with," Mr. Atherton said. "Now, let us push these
before us to the end of the poop, and we can then commence operations.
The sailors, Wilfrid Renshaw, the Allens, and myself will first open
fire. Will the rest of you please continue to pass things along to add
to the height of our barricade? I wish we knew how they are getting on
on shore." For almost immediately after the struggle had begun on board
the sound of musketry had broken out from that quarter, and they knew
that the watering party had been attacked directly the natives knew that
their chiefs had commenced the massacre on board ship.

Several times, in spite of the danger from the flying spears, Mr.
Atherton had gone to the stern and looked towards the shore. The boats
lay there seemingly deserted, and the fight was going on in the wood. A
number of canoes had placed themselves so as to cut off the return of
the boats should the sailors succeed in making their way to them