Part 12 (1/2)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

IN THE CLUTCHES OF THE CHIEF

The crew of the _Dolphin_, though nu thus taken unawares, were aled war-clubs of the natives ca down upon their heads, as they ran here and there in search of weapons to defend themselves Lieutenant Pyke was struck dead the instant he appeared at the companion-hatch The second mate was treated in the saathered round him, made a desperate attempt to defend himself; but he and his party were overpowered by numbers, and cut down, after they had killed several of the natives

Some of our es

Whether they were killed, or whether any escaped, we could not tell A few ran up the rigging, where the natives appeared afraid to follow them

In a few minutes, besides dick and me, not a white man e could see, except those aloft, re frantically about the deck, whirling their clubs over their heads, and shouting at the top of their voices for joy of their victory They either did not observe dick and th come in, did not think us worth their notice I felt almost overpowered with horror In spite of that, however, I thought of dear Miss Kitty, dreading that she and Mr Falconer, with those in the boat, would, on their return, have to share the terrible fate of our other companions; while I fully expected dick and I would soon be suers, and those who had been below at the moment of the attack, we could not tell

”Oh, dick, what are we to do?” I exclai with fear

”We must trust to God, Charley,” he answered ”He will take care of us, though how that is to be, is es, fierce as they are, will not have the heart to kill a little boy like you; and it can matter little what becomes of an old fellow, such as I ah you cannot kneel down That does noton the deck, as if they would beat it in, shouting at the top of their voices, and flourishi+ng their war-clubs, looking s

”It will be bad enough for us, Charley, even though the natives don't kill and eat us, but my mind is most troubled about poor Miss Kitty

What will becoet hold of the boat? and there's no chance that I can see of her escaping”

”I was thinking of her, too,” I said, ”and Mr Falconer The savages will murder him and the boat's crew, as they have the rest Oh, dick!

I cannot stand it I wish they would kill me at once!”

I felt, as I spoke, like the hapless bird fascinated by the glance of the serpent, and could scarcely restrainthe savages

”Hold fast, Charley,” said dick ”I wish I had not said what I did--you have got your best days before you If the savages wanted to kill us, they would have done so before now See, they are growing calether; they, perhaps, will be satisfied with gaining possession of the shi+p, and all the plunder in her, and won't kill those who make no resistance”

Soon after dick had said this, a tall chief with a high plume of feathers on his head, and his alhtly tattooed, advanced to the heel of the bowsprit, and, looking towards dick and me, shouted out some words, and beckoned us to come in

”What shall we do, dick?” I asked ”Will he kill me, do you think?”

”There's no help for it, Charley,” answered dick ”But don't be afraid; he shall kill et round and keep close behind me, and I will ask hie as the rest”

I followed dick, though I confess ot to the inner end of the bowsprit, I observed that the chief placed his bloodstained club against the bulwarks; he then lifted up both his hands, to show that they held no weapon dick, therefore, advancedme behind him, confronted the chief

”I e,”

said dick, pointing to me ”He has never done you no harood if you kill him, and he is so thin, he would h the chief could not have understood a word that dick said, he see his hand on his head and nified that ere his property, and that he would take care of us He even smiled when he looked at me, and seemed to inquire whether I was dick's son, so dick fancied; for he replied, ”He is all the same as my child, and if you hurt him, it will be the worse for you” Our friend then called up two other uard, and then charged them to take care of us, while he went aft and spoke to the other chiefs

Meantioods from the hold, and to load their canoes with the his share of the booty dick and I were thus left on the forecastle, and could observe as going on We often turned our eyes towards theto see the boat return