Part 49 (1/2)

”Ay, ay, sir,” cried the party cheerily.

The next minute they were at the water's edge, where their defenders halted ready, just as the captain's voice was heard to shout:

”Fire!”

Three shots rang out, and, covered by the smoke, the captain and his mates ran on, to begin reloading.

”Look sharp, boys!” panted the captain; ”get to the boats, each man to his own, but put the wounded man in mine. You're ready, Mr Brace--Mr Briscoe?”

”Yes.”

”That's right: we won't row away and leave you. Forward, my lads, and get under cover of the boat's side. Hoist the sail half-mast, and keep behind it. They'll begin to shoot directly. We'll get on board first, gentlemen, to cover you from the boats. Stand fast till we're all in if you can, and then give 'em all four barrels and make a dash for it before the smoke rises.”

These next were anxious moments, but Brace did not flinch, and his companion went on talking with his eyes fixed upon the approaching enemy, each man holding an arrow to his bowstring, but unaccountably refraining from winging it home. He seemed to be in every case watching the muzzles of the guns in wonder and fear as he slowly approached.

”I want to cut and run horribly, Brace,” said the American, in a husky voice; ”only I suppose we mustn't. We shall look like porcupines directly--full of arrows, I expect; but keep up your spirits: I daresay we shall each have a fair share.”

”I say, don't!” said Brace. ”It is too serious to joke about.”

”And no mistake. Are they all aboard yet?” asked Briscoe.

”Don't know, and can't look round. I must face them. It would be ever so much worse to turn our backs.”

”Ten times,” said Briscoe. ”Look out! I say; that's a fresh party-- twenty or thirty of them, coming out of the woods a quarter of a mile away. They ought to be too late to reach us.”

”Our men are all on board, and the Indians are going to rush us,”

whispered Brace.

”That's so,” said the American. ”Be ready. I'll say 'Fire!' Then wait till the smoke lifts, when I'll give the word again, and then it's a rush through the water to the boats. Bet you two cents I get most arrows in my back.”

”Steady!” growled Brace hoa.r.s.ely.

”Fire!” shouted the captain from the boat, and, in spite of the order upsetting their plans, the covering party obeyed and sent their little shower of shot amongst the yelling enemies' legs.

”Let 'em have it again,” roared the captain from the second boat.

The remaining two barrels rang out, and those who fired sprang up and dashed through the water to reach the larger boat, where they were seized and dragged in and under cover.

None too soon, for a little shower of arrows came aboard and through the sails, which were s.h.i.+vering in the brisk breeze.

The next minute, in response to a thrust or two, and a touch at the tillers, both sails half-filled, and the boats were gliding swiftly away from the sh.o.r.e, the arrows coming more and more seldom, till the last two failed to reach them, but fell into the water twenty yards astern.

Then the captain, who had been tending the wounded man, rose up and said, loud enough for those in both boats to hear:

”There we are then, my lads, quite out of danger now, and nothing to mind but a few canoes up stream and a few more down; but look here, I've just got this to say to you all: if you'd had your way there'd have been a big fire ash.o.r.e to-night and a general collection of Indians to the biggest roast they had enjoyed for years. After it was over everyone of those copper-skinned gentlemen would have been going about with a good big bit of my crew in his inside. That's quite true, isn't it, Mr Briscoe?”

”Oh, yes,” said the American: ”these people are cannibals still when they get the chance.”