"However," said he, "sit down, Ralph, and I'll tell you all about it.""You see, after we left the boat an' began to push through the bushes, we went straight for the line of my musket, as I had expected; but by some unlucky chance it didn't explode, for I saw the line torn away by the men's legs, and heard the click o' the lock; so I fancy the priming had got damp and didn't catch.I was in a great quandary now what to do, for I couldn't concoct in my mind, in the hurry, any good reason for firin' off my piece.But they say necessity's the mother of invention; so, just as I was givin' it up and clinchin' my teeth to bide the worst o't, and take what should come, a sudden thought came into my head.I stepped out before the rest, seemin' to be awful anxious to be at the savages, tripped my foot on a fallen tree, plunged head foremost into a bush, an', ov coorse, my carbine exploded! Then came such a screechin' from the camp as I never heard in all my life.I rose at once, and was rushin' on with the rest when the captain called a halt.
"'You did that a-purpose, you villain!' he said, with a tremendous oath, and, drawin' a pistol from his belt, let fly right into my breast.I fell at once, and remembered no more till I was startled and brought round by the most awful yell I ever heard in my life, except, maybe, the shrieks o' them poor critters that were crushed to death under yon big canoe.Jumpin' up, I looked round, and, through the trees, saw a fire gleamin' not far off, the light o'
which showed me the captain and men tied hand and foot, each to a post, and the savages dancin' round them like demons.I had scarce looked for a second, when I saw one o' them go up to the captain flourishing a knife, and, before I could wink, he plunged it into his breast, while another yell, like the one that roused me, rang upon my ear.I didn't wait for more, but, bounding up, went crashing through the bushes into the woods.The black fellows caught sight of me, however, but not in time to prevent me jumpin'
into the boat, as you know."
Bill seemed to be much exhausted after this recital, and shuddered frequently during the narrative, so I refrained from continuing the subject at that time, and endeavoured to draw his mind to other things.
"But now, Bill," said I, "it behoves us to think about the future, and what course of action we shall pursue.Here we are, on the wide Pacific, in a well-appointed schooner, which is our own, - at least no one has a better claim to it than we have, - and the world lies before us.Moreover, here comes a breeze, so we must make up our minds which way to steer.""Ralph, boy," said my companion, "it matters not to me which way we go.I fear that my time is short now.Go where you will.I'm content.""Well then, Bill, I think we had better steer to the Coral Island, and see what has become of my dear old comrades, Jack and Peterkin.
I believe the island has no name, but the captain once pointed it out to me on the chart, and I marked it afterwards; so, as we know pretty well our position just now, I think I can steer to it.
Then, as to working the vessel, it is true I cannot hoist the sails single-handed, but luckily we have enough of sail set already, and if it should come on to blow a squall, I could at least drop the peaks of the main and fore sails, and clew them up partially without help, and throw her head close into the wind, so as to keep her all shaking till the violence of the squall is past.And if we have continued light breezes, I'll rig up a complication of blocks and fix them to the top-sail halyards, so that I shall be able to hoist the sails without help.'Tis true I'll require half a day to hoist them, but we don't need to mind that.Then I'll make a sort of erection on deck to screen you from the sun, Bill; and if you can only manage to sit beside the tiller and steer for two hours every day, so as to let me get a nap, I'll engage to let you off duty all the rest of the twenty-four hours.And if you don't feel able for steering, I'll lash the helm and heave to, while I get you your breakfasts and dinners; and so we'll manage famously, and soon reach the Coral Island."Bill smiled faintly as I ran on in this strain.
