"What doesn't seem quite the right thing?" said the boy, glad to have an opportunity to talk and have some cessation of the terrible strain which kept his excited nerves at the highest pitch of tension. "Why, the standing here with a double gun loaded with slugs, ready to pepper the niggers. I'm a curer, not a killer." "We must defend ourselves," said Jack. "You must. I ought to be below turning the cabin or the steward's place into an operating room, getting my instruments, tourniquets, silk, and bandages ready." "Oh, don't talk like that!" cried the lad with a shudder. "Why not? Doctors must prepare for the worst." "Hope we shall have no worst, Doctor Instow," said the captain, coming up. "If I could only get the signal that steam was ready! We are just swinging by the head to the buoyed cable, so that I can slip at any moment. Halloo! What's going on now?" He ran forward, gave a word to the man in charge, and the beam of light swept round the yacht and back; but there was no fresh danger coming up, and the shouting and yelling which had taken the captain forward evidently proceeded from the two central canoes. "Why, where's the sunken one?" said Jack, as he shaded his eyes and peered forward. "They've floated her right astern of them," replied the captain, "half-an-hour ago, and the crew are distributed amongst the four. But I don't quite make out what they were shouting about. Why--Steady there, my lads. You at the guns, be ready. The canoes are coming on. Oh!" he added to himself, "if there were only a capful of wind!" But there was not a breath of air, as a loud yell from one voice was heard, and followed by a burst from the whole party. Then the paddles were plunged into the water on both sides, making it foam and sparkle in the bright light of the star, the canoes began to move very slowly, and Captain Bradleigh turned to the yacht's owner-- "They mean mischief, sir. I'm afraid we must fire." "Only as a last resource," said Sir John. "If we wait for a last resource, sir," said the captain sternly, "it may be too late. My lads could sink one of the canoes now, and that might check the advance. The guns are useless if we let them come to close quarters." "But I am dreadfully averse to what may prove wholesale slaughter," said Sir John. "So am I, sir," said the captain dryly. "It is for you to decide." Jack stood quivering with excitement, and wondered what Sir John would say. But he said nothing, for all at once, as the canoes were coming on faster and faster in the bright light shed by the star, and the little crews of the two bright guns laid them ready for the shots they expected to hear ordered from moment to moment, the strange silence on board was broken by the clear loud _ting_ of a hammer upon a gong close to where the principals stood.