A faint whisper or two from the mate's boat told that the men not rowing had received a similar command, and Jack, as he thrust a couple of cartridges into the breech of his gun, felt that the canoes would be paddling round the yacht, and have reached the other side by the time they were alongside. "Are we not going to shout and alarm Captain Bradleigh?" whispered Jack to the doctor. "No; sit still," said that gentleman sternly. "He and your father are the leaders. We have only to obey. Don't fire till you receive orders." A low deep sigh came from Ned, but it was accompanied by a faint "click--click; click--click." "Both barrels at full cock," thought the lad. "But how horrible to have to fire at any one, even if he is black." But all the same, horrible or no, the lad cocked both locks of his own piece, and felt the flap of his cartridge satchel to try whether everything was handy if he had to reload; and just then, as they glided silently along in the full glare of the great artificial star, a feeling of angry resentment ran through him, and he said half aloud-- "Serve them right. Why can't they leave us alone?" "And so say all of us, Mr Jack," whispered Ned, startling him he addressed, for he was not aware that his words were heard. The only sounds to be heard now were the regular heavy boom of the breakers on the reef--a sound so deep and constant that it had already begun to count as nothing, and curiously enough did not seem to interfere with their hearing anything else, acting as it did like the deep bass in an orchestra or great organ, and making the lighter, higher-pitched notes more clear--and the light soft dip of the boat's oars as the men silently pulled home. Then, all at once, as Jack strained his ears to catch the paddling of the canoes, the deep voice of Captain Bradleigh rang out as if from the other side of the yacht. "Ahoy! What boat's that?" Then in the midst of a dead silence there was a quick flash, and Jack held his breath, expecting to hear the report of a gun, but his eyes conveyed the meaning of the flash, not his ears. The darkness was profound, for the light from the great star had been shut off in their direction, and directly after the shape of the graceful yacht stood out clearly, every spar and rope defined against a softly diffused halo as the star was made to perform the duties of a search-light, sweeping the lagoon beyond and showing plainly the long low shapes of four great canoes, each with its row of men, and about a quarter of a mile away. Then all was black as pitch. "Now for it, my lads," whispered the mate. "Pull with all your might." The men made the water hiss as they drew hard at the long tough ash blades, and above this sound they could hear the hurry and rattle of something going on aboard the yacht. Quick short orders were issued; then Captain Bradleigh's voice was heard again. "Ahoy there! Sir John!" "Right. Here we are."