These were harsh and cruel words to use respecting the man who had shown
so much true manliness of disposition; but there are times when we all
show what a great deal of the imperfect there is in our natures, and
this was one of those times with Oliver, who, judging by the mate's
acts, formed the conclusion that, seeing their case was desperate, and a
way out to save his own life, he had, in sudden panic, fled.
"Seems like it," said Drew, sadly. "But quick, lie down. No, let's get
behind here."
The need of concealment was pressing, for they were standing out upon
the open sands, and, with a feeling of despair and misery attacking him,
Oliver followed his companion to where some huge fragments of madrepore
coral lay a few yards from the water's edge, affording them a place
where they could hide, and, at the same time, observe what was going on
out in the lagoon, where matters were growing exciting.
"Better have come back and fought it out with us," said Drew, bitterly,
as they saw that the blacks were straining every effort to cut off the
lugger before it reached the gap in the barrier reef; while, evidently
seeing the situation of affairs, those who were in the canoe outside
were, like the occupants of the lugger, though from a different side,
rapidly approaching the opening.
"They'll cut him off before he reaches it," said Oliver, excitedly.
"Can we do anything to help him?"
"No, nothing, we are too far-off," said Drew, sadly. "How could he be
so foolish?"
"And why don't he give up the helm to one of the men? Either of them
could steer; and he could throw the blacks into confusion by firing a
few shots."
But after a little show of excitement on board, Mr Rimmer stayed by the
helm; while the two canoes, from north and south, with some twenty
paddles on each side, made the blue water flash like diamonds, as they
threw it up with their spoon-shaped implements, sending their canoes
along at a tremendous rate.
"They'll cut him off, they'll cut him off," cried Oliver, excitedly.
"Oh, why don't he fire at them?"
He paused breathless, watching the exciting scene of the lugger
careening over, as she raced through the water.
"My word, she sails well," said Drew.
"Splendidly," cried Oliver. "But don't, don't talk about the boat.
Look at poor Rimmer, he stands up there as if brave as a lion. I wish I
hadn't said that about him, and yet it's true enough, he's running away
like a cur. But it's no good, my friend, they're too much for you;
they'll cut in just before you get to the opening, and be aboard of you
like a swarm of wasps. Oh, Drew! it's horrible!"
"And all our specimens, the work of months, gone."
"Hang the specimens!" cried Oliver. "I'd give a hundred times as many
to be on the lugger now with our guns. A few good shots, and we could
save him."
"Yes. Shall we fire now?"
"Pooh! Shall we throw a few handfuls of sand into the water, or two or
three stones? Look! there they go; they're going to drive their prows
right into her, one on each side, and with their length, speed, and
weight, they'll crush in her planks like a matchwood box. I can't bear,
to see it. It's horrible."
"I can't; but I must look," cried Drew, piteously.
"Yes, we must look and see the worst," groaned Oliver. Then stamping
his foot: "Why are we not there to help him?"
He ceased speaking, and stood leaning forward, with his eyes just above
the edge of the rock, gazing, fascinated by the scene before him. There
were the four vessels all clear in the brilliant sunshine, three of them
with their prows aimed straight at the fourth, which appeared to be
doomed as it glided along with its sails well filled, rushing now for
the opening before it, and the sea.
Closer and closer the canoes on either side, gliding along, with their
dark sides flecked with silver, and their black crews toiling on with
wondrous exactitude, on and on with increasing speed, while the third
canoe slackened, and suddenly was thrown right across the opening, as if
to block the gateway leading to freedom. On either side the huge
breakers glided in softly, and then, as they reached the reef; rose,
curled over, glistening with green, blue, and gold, as they hung for a
moment or two on high, and then crashed down into sparkling gems, from
which diamond dust seemed to rise in a soft vapoury cloud.
But still the collision did not come. The distance was greater than the
watchers had allowed for, and in those exciting moments time seemed to
be long-drawn-out.
"Now it's coming," cried Oliver, at last. "Good-bye, Rimmer, I liked
you, after all. Ah!"
His last ejaculation was quite a wild exciting cry, for the distance
between the prows of the two canoes, and the sides of the lugger grew
less and less, and then they seemed to strike and go right through her,
while imagination painted her crew struggling in the water, to be
pierced through and through by the spears of the savages.
"Hurrah!" shouted Drew suddenly, and a film of mist which had been
blurring Oliver Lane's eyes, suddenly cleared away, for though the two
prows had seemed to go through the lugger, there she was still racing on
for the gap, while the two canoes partly crossed behind her stern after
she had dashed between them, and their occupants were curving round to
go in chase, crossing and taking up their positions on either side
astern.
"Escaped for the moment, but it's all over," cried Oliver, "they'll take
her now, she can't get away. Look, what is Rimmer going to do? Oh, it
is madness."
Madness or no, the mate's decision was plain enough to them now, and it
was evident that he had some faith in the strength of his boat, for
onward she was rushing straight for the side of the great sixty-foot
long canoe which blocked the way. One minute the watchers saw her rise
up on one of the rollers that came pouring through the opening, the next
she was nearly lost to sight, but only to rise again upon another, being
suspended in equilibrium for a few moments and then careening over, she
dashed down a slope of water, right on to, and as it were, over the long
narrow canoe and then off and away to sea.
Oliver Lane could hardly believe it for the moment, but it was all true
enough, there was the _Little Planet_ sailing away, while through the
opening in the reef the great canoe floated bottom upwards, and the
white foamy water was seen to be dotted with black heads, whose owners
were swimming for the wreck of their vessel, or to the two canoes which
approached them.
"Three cheers for Rimmer," cried Drew, excitedly.
"A hundred if he had played fair," said Oliver, sadly. "But there it
is. You see: he _has_ left us in the lurch."
"Well, yes, I suppose so. It was very plucky, though, and
self-preservation is the first law of nature."
"And the last exception in civilisation," said Oliver, bitterly.
"Perhaps so, but I hope he'll get our specimens safe to England."
"And I wish he had shown himself a better man."
"No time for discussion," said Drew, quietly, as he watched the canoes.
"They're picking up all their wet ones. My word, how the beggars can
swim. Now, then, what have we got to do?"
"Make for the cocoa-nut grove in order to be under cover, and then keep
along under the trees for the brig, so as to give the alarm."
"Yes, they won't be long, I suppose, before they come ashore. Will you
lead, or shall I?"
"Go on," said Oliver. "Better crawl right on your breast, or we shall
be seen."
"As we most likely shall be, whether or no."
"Never mind, off!"
Drew dropped flat upon the sand, and, dragging his gun after him, began
to crawl as fast as he could towards the cocoa-nut grove where the boat
was hidden, and fortunately the distance was only short, for the sun
beat down with tremendous force and the glistening coral sand was
already growing very hot.
"I was never meant for a snake," said Drew, as he painfully dragged
himself along. "Ugh, you little wretch!" he cried, and thrusting
forward his gun, he passed the muzzle under a little short thick viper,
which lay basking just in his way, sent it flying, pitchfork fashion.
"Poisonous," said Oliver, who noted where the flat, spade headed little
serpent fell. "Looks wonderfully like an asp, such as they have in
Egypt. Go on faster."
"Can't," grumbled Drew, but he did exert himself, and soon after rose
with a sigh of relief, well hidden by the grove of trees.
"No, no," cried Oliver. "Never mind the canoes. Rimmer's all right
now. Why, Drew!"
"Yes?"
"Smith must have been in the lugger and gone off with him."
"Smith?"
"Yes, he took down the guns and ammunition. We've lost our best man."
They had plenty of opportunity now for keeping under cover, the trees
having rapidly sent out young shoots along the edge of the forest where
they could, since the passing of the earthquake wave, enjoy plenty of
sunshine, and hurrying forward, the pair were not long in catching sight
of the masts of the brig.
"Keep up," said Oliver suddenly, for soon after they had reached to
within sight of home Drew had suddenly stopped short. "What's the
matter?"
"Don't you see?" was the answer. "Quick, keep well under cover."
"What for?"
"Look at the mainmast! There's a danger signal flying."
"Then they have caught sight of the blacks coming on in the distance,
and it is a warning to us to look sharp."
"It's a warning to us to keep off," cried Drew, excitedly; "and there
goes another."
Oliver started, and his heart sank, for he saw that at which his
companion pointed--a puff of white smoke fired from the foretop, and
directly after there was a dull report.
"Look! look!" he too cried, now excitedly, as he pointed between the
leaves, for, not half a mile away, and pretty close to the brig, black
figures were visible, first two or three, then more and more.
"Got here before us," said Drew in a despairing tone.
"No, some more of the black scoundrels must have landed on the other
side of the island."