Fire Island Part 77

"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 ash.o.r.e. 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 pa.s.sed the muzzle under a little short thick viper, which lay basking just in his way, sent it flying, pitchfork fas.h.i.+on.

"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 pa.s.sing of the earthquake wave, enjoy plenty of suns.h.i.+ne, 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."

CHAPTER FORTY NINE.

SMITH'S "NARROW SQUEAK."

"Lane, old chap," said Drew, "can't Panton turn on the fireworks?"

"What do you mean?"

"Poke up the volcano and get up a good eruption, so as to sweep these wretches away."

"He seems to have already done it," said Oliver, bitterly. "Haven't you noticed that the ground has been all of a quiver for long enough?"

"No, too much worried over getting away. I wish a good blow up would come."

"As bad for us as for the blacks, man. But what are we to do?"

"I don't know. What do you say to keeping on along the edge till we are opposite to the brig, and then making a rush as you did before?"

"Seems our only chance."

"Or wait till dusk and then try?"

"No, they want our help at the brig as badly as we want theirs. I think we had better creep on slowly. If we are seen, we must let the enemy come close, and then give them four barrels and rush. They'll cover us from the brig."

The plan was decided upon, and keeping along the edge of the forest, they went cautiously on, sensible now that the tremulous motion of the earth was on the increase, while in addition there came a short sharp report from the mountain.

"Won't this scare the n.i.g.g.e.rs?" said Drew as they stopped to reconnoitre.

"It doesn't seem to," replied Oliver, as they peered between the trunks of some newly-sprung-up palms. "They're taking it coolly enough."

The blacks were in fact walking about, now gazing toward the brig, now along the opening toward the sea.

"Why, I know," cried Drew; "they're waiting for their friends whom we saw. When they come there'll be a general attack."