"Oh, Ned, only a few strokes. I cannot trust myself," groaned Jack.
"Oh dear! and you a gent, and your education neglected like that. Why, to be able to swim now, sir, is worth all the Latin and Greek in the world. But never mind, I can, though all the Greek I know is _quantum stuff_, and p'r'aps that's Latin. You do as I tell you; the moment you see that one of the niggers means mischief, over you go; I shall be there, and I'll help you swim, sir, and the yacht's sure to have a boat ready to drop and pick us up."
On they went, with the wind sending the canoe rapidly along, and the blacks sat on the edge to keep her well down, and on the outrigger. The speed now was wonderful, the long elastic vessel bent and glided like some live creature over the swell, and had the blacks had another mile to go, the fate of the two prisoners would have been sealed; but at full speed now the yacht, with sail after sail shaken out to the help of the propeller, came up hand over hand, and when pretty close swayed off to windward, curved round as she glided by, and was once more answering her helm in the other direction, racing for the canoe's bows, the steering being so true that the fore-part was forced under water while the stern rose slowly in the air. "Now for it," said Ned sharply. Jack hesitated for a moment or two, and then tried to plant one foot upon the side and leap after his companion; but his momentary hesitation was nearly fatal, for one of the blacks made a dash at him, caught him by the shoulder, and struck at him with his raised club.
In his despair the lad forced himself forward, and instead of the head of the heavy club, it was the man's arm which struck him across the shoulder, and the next moment they were thrown by the rising of the stern headlong amongst the struggling crowd as the canoe filled. Then all was darkness and confusion as the lad felt himself dragged down lower and lower, till it seemed as if he would never rise again.
Moments are changed to minutes at such times as these, but prolonged as the agony seemed, he was soon at the surface once more, panting for breath and beating the water like a drowning dog.
But coolness came with the strong desire for life, and he now struck out bravely as he saw the water about dotted with the black heads of his enemies, one and all swimming for the floating wreck of their canoe, whilst the yacht was far away, and Jack's courage became despair as he kept on swimming slowly, better than he could have believed, so as to keep himself afloat.
"That's the way, Mr Jack, sir," came from behind him; "and you said you couldn't swim."
"Ned," gasped the boy, turning in the direction of the sound, and his slow, steady strokes became on the instant fast and wild.
"Ah, don't do that!" cried Ned, swimming alongside. "Slow and steady, sir. Don't wind yourself. There, it's all right; I could keep you up, but I want you to try yourself. Strike out as I told you last time we bathed. Slow and steady. Let your legs go down as far as they like.
Never mind if the water comes right up to your mouth; lay your head sideways and screwed round so that you can look over your right shoulder, and rest the back of it on the water. That's the way. Think you're having a lesson in swimming, and do just as I do. See? We only want to keep afloat till a boat comes from the yacht to pick us up.
Well done, sir. This is the best lesson in swimming you ever had."
Jack took stroke for stroke feebly enough, and kept well afloat, but he felt all the time that if Ned were not at his side he would have begun to strike out again in frantic despairing haste, wearied himself in a very short time, and gone down.
"Man never knows what he can do till he tries, sir," said Ned cheerily.
"It's all right. Just keep your mouth above water while you take a good long breath, and then shut it again. Lower you are the easier you float. When you're tired you shall turn on your back, and I'll guide you."
"Shall we be drowned, Ned?" panted the lad. "We'll talk about that by and by, sir. We can go on like this easy in the sea for an hour, if you do as I tell you. Now then, we're not running a race. Just try to think you're standing in the water, and to move your hands as slowly as you can. It's all right, Mr Jack, sir. We've escaped. Here's the yacht coming back to pick us up, and they've got one of the cutters ready to drop with the men in her. Don't you say nothing. You just attend to your swimming lesson: I'll do all the talking. I learnt to swim when I was a little bit of a nipper and went with the boys at school. They used to pitch me in, so that I was obliged to swim, I can tell you. That was only fresh water. It's ever so much easier to swim in the sea--when it's smooth. Mind you, I don't know nothing about it when it's rough."
"Is the yacht near, Ned?" said Jack huskily. "What's that to you?"
cried the man fiercely. "You mind your lesson. Ought to know better than that. I want to see you swim well, and you were doing beautiful before you began to talk. No, you ain't getting tired. If you was, as I told you, I'd make you float. Ur-r-r!"
Ned uttered a sound like a savage dog, for a panting and splashing had made him turn his head to see, not six yards behind him, a fierce-looking black face, with grinning teeth and flashing eyes, looking the more savage from the fact that, to leave his arms both at liberty, the black was holding his war-club in his grinning teeth.
The partly submerged canoe, burdened with its clinging crew, was a hundred yards away, the two which had been launched to her assistance quite three, and the yacht still two, but cutting the water fast.
Ned set his teeth; and for a brief instant thought of getting out his knife, but he knew it would be madness to attempt it, and he prepared with desperate energy for the worst.
"Don't you take any notice of me," he growled fiercely to his young master. "You keep on swimming. Do you hear?"
In utter ignorance of the peril behind, and influenced in his weakness and helplessness as a swimmer by one whom he instinctively felt to be at home in the water, and his master, Jack obeyed, keeping to the slow stroke with his arms, while his action with his legs was that of the well-known treading water.
All this was but brief.
After savagely shouting at Jack, Ned drew a deep breath and turned to meet the black, whose eyes glowed with race hatred as he raised one hand from the water, took the short melon-headed nulla-nulla club from his teeth, rose a little higher, and struck at his fellow-swimmer with all his might.
But it was for dear life. Ned threw himself sidewise, the head of the club grazed his shoulder as it splashed the water. Then, quick as thought, Ned retaliated by dashing out his left fist, and struck his enemy full on the cheek.
But it was a feeble blow, and did no more than make him fiercer as he turned to renew the attack.
"It's all over!" groaned the poor fellow. "If they'll only pick up the poor young governor in time!"
A hoarse sob of despair escaped from Ned's breast, as he prepared to dodge the next blow from the club, meaning not to strike another nerveless, helpless blow from the water, but to grapple with the black.
"And then it's who can hold his breath longest," he thought. "Oh, why did I come on a trip like this?"
Thought comes quickly at a time like this.
The club was once more raised and held suspended in the air for a few moments, the wily black feinting twice over, and making Ned dodge. The third time he made another quick feint, and was in the act then of delivering a tremendous blow, when Jack uttered a wild cry, for he had turned his head to appeal to his companion for help.
At that moment Ned heard a whizz, as if some beetle had suddenly passed his ear; there was instantaneously a sharp pat, and the moment after the report of a rifle. The club fell into the water with a splash.
"Hah!" ejaculated Ned, turning on his side, and in a dozen side strokes he was alongside of Jack once more, as he was making a brave effort to come to his companion's aid.
"Back, my lad, back!" cried Ned as he swam. "No, no; you're not beaten yet. Hooray! the boat! They're close here, and--Mr Jack, sir--it's-- it's too much--I--I--Swim, sir, swim--don't--don't mind me!"
The poor fellow's look seemed fixed and staring, his arms refused their office, and Jack caught at him to try and support him. Then struggling vainly the water closed over his head, as his starting eyes saw the flashing of the water thrown up by six oars, and a figure standing leaning toward him, boat-hook in hand.
CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT.
NOT BEATEN YET.
"How are you, boy?"
The voice seemed to come from a great distance, and the face of the speaker looked far away, and yet his hand was being held in his father's firm palm.
"Ah!" sighed Jack in answer. Then quickly, "Ned! Ned! Where's Ned?"
"Safe here," said Sir John. "In the boat. We were only just in time."
"He's coming to," said another familiar voice. "Pull away, my lads.
Well, Jack, old fellow, you've been carrying on a nice game. How are you? Glad to see you. No, no, lie back for a bit. We'll soon have you on board."
Jack said nothing for a few moments. Then quickly--
"Who was it fired that shot?"
"Oh, never mind about who fired it," said the doctor gruffly; but he picked up a double rifle lying against one of the thwarts, and mechanically opened the breech, drew out a spent cartridge, and thrust in another.
"Have your pieces ready, my lads. Half at the word cease rowing, aim, and fire. Are you ready, gentlemen? They're coming on very fast."
"Yes; all right," said the doctor; and Sir John rose in the boat, rifle in hand, and gave the mate, who had spoken, a nod, and then he smiled as Jack rose up quickly and picked up one of the loaded pieces at his side.
But no one fired at the rapidly advancing canoes, which were crowded with men; for suddenly there was a deep roar from the yacht, a heavy charge of grape-shot ploughed up the water in front of the first canoe, and the paddling in both ceased.
Another shot sent the water flying over the second canoe, and as if animated by one brain, the paddles began to work again, not to send the vessels forward, but back toward the island; and five minutes later the boat was alongside the yacht.
The men sent up a hearty cheer as Captain Bradleigh held out his hand to assist Jack on board, and his words were almost drowned in the welcoming cries; but Jack heard him, as the warm grip retained his hand, and another pressed his shoulder.
"The best day's work, my lad, we ever did. God bless you, and thank Him for giving you safely back."