ENEMIES 181 



it, by the rattling of the chains which were used in place of 

 ropes/' 



To stop this tampering with the helm, which might have 

 proved completely disastrous to the ship and every white man 

 on board her, Mr. Jones tried to fire a shot at random up 

 through the deck. His first attempt failed, but the blacksmith, 

 seeing what the young man was doing, took another loaded 

 musket and placed it in a similar position; and the two fired 

 their pieces simultaneously. The chains stopped rattling, and 

 from the stern ports they could see that the rudder had remained 

 in the same position. Not until some time later did they learn 

 that their random shots, passing through five different boards, 

 had instantly killed the native chief. 



By now the islanders had become very cautious, and Mr. 

 Jones, having been unable for some time to get a shot at them, 

 made up his mind that the moment was at hand to sally out on 

 deck. There were six men in the cabin, but Lewis and Wood 

 were unable to walk, and the blacksmith had already proved 

 himself a coward. Only Parker, the Negro Charlie and the two 

 boys were to be relied upon. 



Arming each of them with a gun, and himself carrying a third 

 gun, this officer, just old enough to vote, started up the com- 

 panionway, when he heard on the deck the sound of boots. Be- 

 fore one of them could move, a boat-steerer named Perkins 

 seized the muzzle of Mr. Jones's musket. 



'* Oh ! Mr. Jones," he cried, " I did not know you were alive. 

 They are all gone. They are all gone." 



Running to the rail they saw the natives a moment later 

 come to the surface about sixty yards from the ship, and sent a 

 parting volley to speed them on their long swim to land. 



The messenger sent to the forecastle with news that the ship 

 was retaken found four men so badly wounded that they could 

 not have defended themselves. They and all the others there 

 had quite given up hope. They had believed every officer 

 dead ; and so loudly had the savages yelled that these men be- 

 low had not heard a single shot fired. 



Six were dead, including Captain Coffin and the first officer 



