water-keg followed him. Being
small and heavy it overtook him, swept the legs from under him, and
preceded him to the beach, where it was dashed to atoms. Chok-foo
recovered himself, continued his wild descent, sprang into the boat,
rowed out to his companions in furious haste, and breathlessly gave the
information that pirates were coming!

Those to whom he said this knew too well what he meant to require
explanation. They were aware that many so-called "traders" in the
Eastern seas become pirates on the shortest notice when it suits their
convenience.

Edgar Berrington immediately drew a revolver from his pocket, and
stepping suddenly up to Dwarro, said sternly:--

"Look here!"

The pilot did look, and for the first time his calm, cool, imperturbable
expression deserted him, for he saw that he had to deal with a resolute
and powerful man. At the same time his right hand moved towards his
breast, but it was arrested from behind in the iron grip of Joe Baldwin.

"Now, pilot," said Edgar, "submit, and no one shall harm you. Resist,
and you are a dead man. Search him, Joe."

The diver opened Dwarro's pilot-coat, and found beneath it a brace of
pistols and a long sheath knife, which he quietly removed and
transferred to his own person. The other men in the boat looked on,
meanwhile, in silence.

"Dwarro," continued Edgar, "_you_ have planned this, I know, but I'll
thwart you. I won't tie or gag you. I'll make you sit at the helm and
steer, while we evade your friends. I shall sit beside you, and you may
rely on it that if you disobey an order in the slightest degree, or give
a signal by word or look to any one, I'll blow out your brains. D'you
understand me?"

The pilot made no reply save by a slight inclination of the head, while
a dark frown settled on his features.

It was obvious that fear found no place in the man's breast, for a deep
flush of indignation covered his countenance. He merely felt that he
must obey or die, and wisely chose the former alternative.

Meanwhile the fleet of boats which had appeared to the Chinaman on the
hill-top was now seen by the party in the boat as they drew nearer under
the influence of a land breeze--their high sails rendering them visible
before the low boat of our divers could be seen by them.

The wind had not yet reached the island, but, even if it had, the divers
would not have hoisted sail, lest they should have been seen.

"Ship your oars now, lads, a