"Why?"
"Chap wouldn't go like this after a hole being made in his arm. I had a bayonet through mine once, but it didn't turn me this way. Felt a bit sick at first, but it made me feel hot and savage after."
"What do you mean?" said Jack, baring his head for a moment.
"Arrows, sir; poison."
"Ah!" ejaculated Jack in horror. "Then that's what made Doctor Instow look so serious."
"That's it, sir. But don't you say anything. I dare say as soon as we get aboard the doctor 'll put some of his acquy miracolus on it, and set it right again. My word, they're having a good round with the niggers.
I do wish we were aboard in the fun. I don't like this running away."
The bottom of the forest slope at last, and now an open park-like stretch lay between them and the patch of jungle which ran down to where they had left the boat. But upon this being neared they could see no sign of her.
Jack put a whistle to his lips and blew shrilly, but there was no sign still, and his heart sank as they hurried on across the open part toward the cover; and none too soon, for the party of blacks which had been following them from where the first attack was made suddenly appeared at the edge of the forest they had just left, and arrow after arrow came whizzing by to stick in the shrubs and dense grass around.
"Don't stop to fire till we are in cover," cried the doctor, and they kept on till they were once more hidden by the low jungle scrub, when at the doctor's order four shots were fired amongst the trees from whence the arrows kept coming.
These had their effect, and the missiles ceased falling, but a dark figure appeared from time to time, and it was evident that the enemy were running from cover to cover, so as to try and cut them off from the shore.
Just, however, as this danger was growing imminent, there was a loud hail from the part of the lagoon hidden from them by the low scrub.
"Here they are, sir," cried Lenny. "Then now for it, my lads; a sharp run to the boat. Here, take my gun, some one. I'll carry him now."
"He's all right, sir," cried the man upon whose back Ned still hung, and the bearer rose from his knees. "Some one take care as they don't spear me, and I'll soon have him in the boat."
"Lead on, Jack," cried the doctor.
"All here?" said Jack.
"Yes. Forward."
The distance was short now, and in a few minutes they had put the low growth between them and their enemies, and were running toward where the boat, with its two keepers, was being backed on to the sand.
"Hooray!" panted Ned's bearer, as he waded in and let the poor fellow glide over the gunwale of the boat, following directly after.
The others, as soon as Jack and the doctor were aboard, dropped their rifles in, ran the boat out till they were waist deep, and then gave a final thrust and slipped over, to seize their rifles again and squat down ready to fire.
They were none too soon, for a party of about a dozen blacks, armed with spears and bows and arrows, came into sight, and began to shoot.
"Give them a volley," said the doctor sternly. "Six of us. We can't be merciful now."
The pieces were rested upon the sides of the boat, and the sharp rattle of gun and rifle followed, Jack and the doctor firing both barrels of their fowling-pieces, loaded with largish shot.
The effect was instantaneous. As the cloud of smoke rose, they could see that two of the blacks were down, and several running wildly about as if in terrible pain. Then the two fallen men were seized by the wrists and dragged under cover, from which arrow after arrow was discharged--fortunately without effect--till the vigorous strokes of the oars took them beyond their reach, and toward where a dense cloud of smoke hung over the lagoon, drifting slowly toward them in the soft sea-breeze, and completely hiding the yacht.
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.
A POISONED ARROW.
"Better run out toward the reef and approach from that side," said the doctor, after considering for a few moments the difficulties of their position.
For they were literally in the dark, and did not know but what they might be running into danger--that from the canoes which must be attacking the crew, or that of getting into their friends' line of fire.
As the doctor kept a sharp look-out, he helped to lay the wounded man in a more easy position, and bathed his head and face with the comparatively cool water; but the poor fellow showed no sign of revival, and Jack's face grew more anxious, the doctor's graver and more stern.
At the end of a few minutes they had passed out of the smoke cloud, which was still increasing from the firing going on and the fumes rolling out of the funnel, and they could now grasp the position of affairs.
The steamer still lay at anchor, and she was engaging half-a-dozen long canoes, whose occupants were raining arrows upon the deck, and every now and then, with terrible temerity, they were paddled rapidly near enough to hurl their spears at any one they could see.
"Well, we must risk it, and get on board somehow," said the doctor.
"Give way, my lads, and pull for your lives. I'll steer as well under cover as I can. Jack, lad, keep on bathing the poor fellow's face."
The men began pulling with all their might, and the nearer they drew to the yacht, naturally the better cover they secured, though, as Jack sat dipping his handkerchief in the sea from time to time, and laying it upon Ned's burning head, he wondered that one or other of the canoes did not come round to meet them and cut them off.
Probably they were too much occupied by their own troubles, for, stung at last by the vicious attack into fierce reprisals, the yacht was giving the savages ample proof of her power.
"Don't fire at them with rifles," Sir John had said, "it is only slaughtering the poor ignorant wretches. Give them some good sharp lesson that shall teach them to respect an English vessel come upon a peaceful mission."
"There is only one, sir," said the captain quietly. "Sink two or three of the canoes with round-shot."
"You feel that it is absolutely necessary?" asked Sir John.
"So necessary, that if we do not do that they will for certain board us, and as they are about fifty to one, we shall not be here to-morrow to tell the tale."
Sir John hesitated no longer, and just as the boat was racing for the yacht, the firing had begun, the former shots having been with blank cartridge, in the vain hope of scaring the enemy away.
The boat was now sighted from the yacht's deck, and a faint cheer reached Jack's ears as they sped over the water. But while they were still some three hundred yards from the gangway, one of the great canoes suddenly started away from the others, and with the paddles making the water flash and foam, came round the yacht's bows and made a dash for the solitary little boat to cut her off.
"Cease rowing," cried the doctor; but every piece was already charged, and giving the order now for the rifles to be laid ready to seize at a moment's notice, they began pulling now for the yacht's bows.
"If they don't give us some help soon from the yacht, Jack," said the doctor rather despondently, "it will go rather badly with us."
"Oh, don't say that," cried the boy, whose face was flushed with excitement.
"I am compelled to, my lad. If anything happens to me, keep the men rowing for the yacht. They must send help soon."
"I don't see them lowering down a boat," replied Jack. "Oughtn't we to fire?"
"I'm afraid that it would be no good. But we must not let them master us without striking a blow to save our lives."
"Striking a blow to save our lives," thought Jack, as he glanced round him and saw their helpless position, for to have tried to escape by rowing, if they were cut off from the yacht, seemed to be folly.
But, as is often the case when things look blackest, a ray of light suddenly gleamed out. There had been no signs of help from the yacht, but all the same those on board had not been neglectful, and as soon as the danger the returning boat ran was seen, Sir John and the captain prepared the needed help.
All at once there was a white puff of smoke seen to dart from the yacht's bows. The water close to the middle of the great canoe was sent flying, and as the roar of a gun echoed from the mountain side, the canoe was seen to be cut right in two, and slowly settling down, with half her men in the water.
"That was a charge of grape-shot, I know," growled Lenny. "Round-shot wouldn't ha' done it."