Jack put a whistle to his lips and blew shrilly, but there was no sign still, and his heart sank as they hurried on across the open part toward the cover; and none too soon, for the party of blacks which had been following them from where the first attack was made suddenly appeared at the edge of the forest they had just left, and arrow after arrow came whizzing by to stick in the shrubs and dense grass around. "Don't stop to fire till we are in cover," cried the doctor, and they kept on till they were once more hidden by the low jungle scrub, when at the doctor's order four shots were fired amongst the trees from whence the arrows kept coming. These had their effect, and the missiles ceased falling, but a dark figure appeared from time to time, and it was evident that the enemy were running from cover to cover, so as to try and cut them off from the shore. Just, however, as this danger was growing imminent, there was a loud hail from the part of the lagoon hidden from them by the low scrub. "Here they are, sir," cried Lenny. "Then now for it, my lads; a sharp run to the boat. Here, take my gun, some one. I'll carry him now." "He's all right, sir," cried the man upon whose back Ned still hung, and the bearer rose from his knees. "Some one take care as they don't spear me, and I'll soon have him in the boat." "Lead on, Jack," cried the doctor. "All here?" said Jack. "Yes. Forward." The distance was short now, and in a few minutes they had put the low growth between them and their enemies, and were running toward where the boat, with its two keepers, was being backed on to the sand. "Hooray!" panted Ned's bearer, as he waded in and let the poor fellow glide over the gunwale of the boat, following directly after. The others, as soon as Jack and the doctor were aboard, dropped their rifles in, ran the boat out till they were waist deep, and then gave a final thrust and slipped over, to seize their rifles again and squat down ready to fire. They were none too soon, for a party of about a dozen blacks, armed with spears and bows and arrows, came into sight, and began to shoot. "Give them a volley," said the doctor sternly. "Six of us. We can't be merciful now." The pieces were rested upon the sides of the boat, and the sharp rattle of gun and rifle followed, Jack and the doctor firing both barrels of their fowling-pieces, loaded with largish shot. The effect was instantaneous. As the cloud of smoke rose, they could see that two of the blacks were down, and several running wildly about as if in terrible pain. Then the two fallen men were seized by the wrists and dragged under cover, from which arrow after arrow was discharged--fortunately without effect--till the vigorous strokes of the oars took them beyond their reach, and toward where a dense cloud of smoke hung over the lagoon, drifting slowly toward them in the soft sea-breeze, and completely hiding the yacht. CHAPTER TWENTY SIX. A POISONED ARROW.