and the rescued man, who proved to be a man
of colour in a very emaciated and exhausted condition, was hoisted on
board. His story was soon told. He was not a native of the islands,
but had been living on one of them, and had gone off to fish in a canoe,
when a gale sprang up and blew him out to sea. Four days and nights had
he been exposed to the storm in his frail bark, without food or water,
and was on the point of perishing when the ship chanced to pass near
him. The utterance of the cry which had attracted attention, was almost
the last effort of which he was capable. He spoke a little broken
English, having learnt it while serving on board of an English trading
vessel. His name, he said, was Bunco, and a fine powerful-looking
fellow he was, despite the sad condition to which he had been reduced.
His shoulders, and indeed most parts of his body, were blistered by the
continual washing of the sea over him, and when he was lifted on board
his skin was icy cold. Had he not been a man of iron mould, he must
certainly have perished. The poor fellow was at once taken into the
cabin and carefully attended to. He was first bathed in fresh water,
then rolled in blankets, and a tumbler of hot wine and water
administered, which greatly revived him, and soon caused him to fall
into a sound sleep.

Whether it was that this incident softened the hearts of the seamen for
a time, or that their plans were not yet ripe for execution, we cannot
tell, but certain it is that nothing whatever occurred to justify
Captain Dall's suspicions for several weeks after that.

CHAPTER TWO.

DESCRIBES A MUTINY, AND SHOWS THAT THE BEST OF FRIENDS MAY PART SOONER
THAN THEY EXPECT.

"A wilful man will have his way." That this is a true proverb is almost
universally admitted; indeed, there is reason to believe that it is
equally true of women as of men; nevertheless, Captain Blathers did not
believe it although he was himself a living illustration of its truth.
He laughed at Captain Dall when that worthy warned him of the mutinous
intentions of his crew, and when several weeks had passed away without
any signs of disaffection appearing, he rallied him a good deal about
what he styled his suspicious disposition, and refused to take any steps
to guard against surprise. The consequence was, that when the storm did
break, he was utterly unprepared to meet it.

Griffin, the second mate, was the leader of the conspiracy, but so ably
di