"We must make one effort to drive them away," said the professor in desperation. "We haven't even a revolver," spoke Andy. "Let's use stones," suggested Jack, grabbing up a handful from the beach. "Look out!" yelled Mark. "They are going to shoot some arrows!" A second later a flight of the weapons filled the air. Fortunately the natives were too far away to permit the shots taking effect, but it showed that they intend to fight and take possession of the ship. Even this did not frighten Mr. Henderson. His vessel was more than life to him and he kept on. Several arrows fell dangerously close and he might have been hurt had not old Andy run after him and induced him to go farther up the beach and out of harm's way. "They will kill Washington!" cried Jack as he thought of the colored man at the mercy of the savages. "There he comes!" yelled Mark. He pointed toward the ship and as they all looked in that direction they saw the colored man climbing out on the deck. Under one arm he bore a long narrow box, and in the other hand he carried one of the electric guns. "He's goin' to fight 'em!" exclaimed Andy. "He's got a gun and he will show 'em what's what!" But Washington did not seem to have any such intentions. With a yell that equalled the savage cries of the natives, he sprang over the side of the ship, onto the sand and ran toward the group of adventurers. A flight of arrows followed him, but he was not hit. CHAPTER XVIII ON LAND "Why don't he shoot his gun at 'em?" demanded Andy, capering about on the sand. "He could soon scare 'em off!" "I'm afraid Washington is too frightened to do anything like that," answered Professor Henderson. "He is lucky to have escaped alive." "Wait until he gets here with that gun, an' I'll do some huntin' that will make them savages skip!" exclaimed Andy. In a little while Washington came up to where the others from the _Porpoise_ stood on the beach. The colored man was panting from his run. "De most monstrous disproportionately extradition ob circumstantial occurrances dat ever transpositioned on my optical vasionariness!" he exclaimed as he laid his gun and the black box carefully down on the sand. "Ten thousand naked imps of darkness swarmin' ober de ship an' not a pusson to say what dey ought to do an' where dey ought t' go! It am suttinly terrible!" "Why didn't you shoot some of 'em?" demanded Andy. "Me?" exclaimed Washington. "What for I want t' shoot 'em? S'pose I want 'em t' git mad at me?" "Well, you're a great one," went on Andy, picking up the gun. "I guess I'll have to take a few shots myself." "Yes, sah." From Washington the adventurers learned how the savages had silently come up in their canoes and surrounded the ship, gaining possession of it before he could make any effort at defense, even had he so desired.