"That's the idea!" said the old man, who had his glass bearing upon them. "Give them a shot, Mr. Dunham, to quicken their movements! We can't afford to lie here long, waiting."
The smart report of the six-pounder rang out over the water, echoing and re-echoing round the concave of the bay. Some thirty or forty of the frightened barbarians picked up the boat, and started upon the run for the beach.
"That makes them 'step lightly!'" said the old man. "Load up again, Mr. Dunham! Powder and wad will be enough this time. Don't waste any balls upon them."
At the second snap of the gun, our boat was coming out through the rollers, and two canoes with her to take her in tow. The trembling wretch was released, shorn of all his majesty for the time being. We waifed his canoe, which was still hovering round, to come alongside. Our boat was hoisted up on one side, while the king went down the other.
"Brail up the spanker!" said the captain. "Put your helm up there! We'll run down to Hanarora now, and lie off and on for what we want. I think I see Jim's canoe coming up along shore now."
It was indeed, the white man, Jim, who had come up to warn us against treachery; but found he was too late as we had already left the anchorage.
On coming on board, he informed us that the chief whom Peter had punched in the face with the sapling, died the same night of his injuries; and that the chiefs, actuated by the double motives of revenge and plunder, had planned to get possession of the ship, and had sent envoys to the chief at Hanarora, who declined cooperating. The arch-traitor had accompanied us to Hanaca-oa thinking we would land without suspicion; or, if not, he himself could go ashore there, under pretence of getting the boat for us, and as soon as he was safe on the beach, the attack was to be made at both places. We who were isolated from the ship could be easily disposed of; and if we took the alarm and tried to escape, we should be headed off by the canoes stationed in the cove. The crews of these last had betrayed themselves by showing the paddle in the air, but whether through carelessness, or whether this was a signal intended only for the king's eye, Jim could not tell. As soon as he learned this much, he had started for the ship to inform Mr. Grafton of the danger, but was too late, the ship being under way before he arrived.