"and the other canoes have ranged up
alongside. I can see quite plainly: there's a canoe on each side of the
injured ones to keep them up."

"It's my belief that they may bale till all's blue before they get 'em
to float. Those dug-outs are worked till they get 'em as thin and light
as they can, and if we haven't cut a good gap in each one's side, it's a
rum one," growled the captain. "What are they doing now, sir? It's
rather far to see, but it seems to me that they're trying to get the
sunken canoes to the shore."

"Yes: that's just what they are trying to do," cried Sir Humphrey. "Oh,
yes, I can see that plain enough."

"Then they won't follow us up to-day, gentlemen," said the captain; "and
perhaps we may not see them again. Might like to sail back, p'r'aps,
Mr Briscoe," he continued, "and give the copperskins a friendly word
about hope they're not damaged, and then settle down in the shallows for
a good afternoon's gold-washing."

"Not to-day, thankye, skipper," said the American drily. "It might be
teaching the savages how to catch the gold fever, as you called it, and
be bad for their health."

"P'r'aps so," said the captain, with a peculiarly grim look and a glance
round at the crew; "and they'll be better employed gumming up those
holes in the sides of the canoes."

"Do you think they'll pursue us, captain?" said Brace.

"Most likely, sir," was the cheerful reply. "They'll be wanting to
bring us the bill for damages. I'm thinking it would be the safest
thing to try and drop down by 'em after dusk. This part begins to be
rather unsafe."

He looked at Sir Humphrey as he spoke, and the latter turned to his
brother.

"Well, I don't know, captain," he said: "the wind holds good, and we
seem to have passed the danger. I don't like to give up yet. What do
you say, Mr Briscoe?"

"I think it would be a hundred pities," was the quick reply. "The
country is getting more and more attractive. Who knows what we may
discover, eh, Brace?"

"I feel exactly as you do, and think we should proceed," said the latter
quickly.

"We've got whole skins now," said the captain dubiously, "all but one of
us."

"You think it running too much risk to go on?" said Sir Humphrey.

"Well, I can't say that, sir," was the reply, "because we may sail on
for weeks and weeks and not see another Indian, while if we go back we
are sure to see some."

"Exactly," said Sir Humphrey; "but I can't help thinking that we a