CHAPTER X
STRANGE ALLIES
"Turn out, Hoppy!"
Ellerton was awake in an instant, but forgetting that the cabin of asmall craft does not possess unlimited headroom, he sat up and broughthis head violently in contact with the deck beams.
"What's up?" he exclaimed, grasping his revolver. "Anything wrong?"
"No," replied Andy. "Only it's two o'clock, and your watch."
"Goodness! I feel as if I've only been asleep five minutes."
"Sorry for you, then, old chap, for you've got to keep awake fivehours."
So saying, Andy slid into his bunk, and within a minute his regularbreathing showed that he was asleep.
Ellerton took up his position under the shelter of the dew-soddenawning. Everything was quiet, save for the occasional splash of a fishas it played upon the surface of the placid water, and the ever-presentrumble of the breakers upon the distant reef.
Shorewards the outline of the island was dimly visible against the loomof the starlit sky, while a light from the seaward window of the houseand the dull red gleam of the dying embers of the fire the natives hadkindled were the only sign of human occupation.
Yet, Ellerton reflected, the bush might be alive with savages, awaitingthe opportunity to fall upon the settlement, murder his friends, andpossess themselves of the valuable stores.
Perhaps the story of the seizure of Ahii and the flight of theinhabitants to Ni Atong was a myth, invented by that rogue Blight forthe purpose of luring the castaways into a false position.
There could be no doubt about it, Ellerton's nerves were "jumpy."Perhaps it was that the suddenness of coming into contact with humanbeings other than his comrades had acted upon his nerves.
Ellerton realised that he was entering into a new phase of hisexistence. He regretted it, for, beyond his natural anxiety concerninghis parents, he had grown to love the isolated life on McKay's Island.
Then, should Blight's story prove to be correct, Ellerton felt surethat Mr. McKay's action was the only course permissible. The littlecolony was to fight for its existence, and the more remote the scene ofhostilities the better chance they had of securing the soleproprietorship of the island.
Hist! A succession of faint sounds like those of a man stealthilyswimming caused Ellerton to sit bolt upright, grasp his rifle, and peerintently through the darkness.
There was no mistake about it. It was some object heading directly forthe yawl, its track being marked by a faint blur of phosphorescence.
Visions of bloodthirsty savages, swimming, knife in mouth, to surprisethe crew of the little craft, filled Ellerton with alarm. He raisedhis rifle, released the safety catch, and took aim at the mysteriousintruder.
"Andy," he whispered, but his friend was too deep in slumber to beawakened by a whisper.
"I'll wait till he's close alongside," muttered Ellerton, fingering thetrigger.
At that moment there was a perceptible jar alongside the boat, followedby a prolonged grating sound, as if a piece of sandpaper were slowlydrawn over a rough surface. Then, with a swirl and a succession ofphosphorescent splashes, the object vanished.
The sound had roused Andy.
"What's up?" he exclaimed, springing into the cockpit.
Both lads looked over the side. Deep beneath the surface they saw ahuge luminous shape slowly gliding away.
"My word!" whispered Andy. "Can't you see what it is? It's a shark."
"I thought it was some natives swimming off to us."
"Never fear. They'll never attempt such a thing with a sentry likethat brute," replied Andy as he re-entered the cabin.
Slowly the weary hours passed, till the sun rose in a sky of mistygrey, and the inhabitants of McKay's Island, both black and white,bestirred themselves into activity.
"Not much wind, boss," was Chinese Pork's salutation as Mr. McKay andhis companions arrived at the beach, whither Andy had rowed in the"tender.
"There'll be some before long," replied Mr. McKay. "It usually springsup about an hour after sunrise."
"It'll mean a long pull if it doesn't," rejoined Blight. "Shall I lendyou four or five hands to work the sweeps?"
"I'll not trouble you, thanks. It's your men who will find it hardwork, I fancy."
"Say, why? You just see them use those paddles. They'll keep it upfor hours at a stretch. Your craft'll be the tail end of this 'ereprocession, I guess."
"We shall see," replied Mr. McKay quietly, for he had no desire toenlighten the ex-pearler upon the subject of the motor.
"Say, boss?"
"Well?"
"That's a rum packet," said Blight, indicating with a jerk of his thumbthe boat the lads had made from the wreck of the gig. "I bet you neverbought her at Hilo?"
Mr. McKay did not reply. He quite realised that the ex-pearler wastrying to pump him, while, on the other hand, he was equally determinedto conceal the fact that he and his companions were on the islandthrough shipwreck.
Although Mr. McKay hated deception, he wished to convey the impressionthat they settled here by choice, yet Blight's question showed that hekept his eyes open.
"Are you ready to start?" demanded Mr. McKay. "There's a windspringing up from the south-east'ard."
"As soon as you like. But can you lend me a revolver, cap'n? I've gota bloomin' Martini, but I've run out o' cartridges months and monthsago."
"Here you are, and here are fifty cartridges. I'll make you a presentof the pistol," replied Mr. McKay, though he realised that he wasplaying into the man's hands.
Then, without waiting to receive the ex-pearler's thanks, he steppedinto the boat and was rowed off to the yawl.
"Good morning, Ellerton," he exclaimed. "All quiet, I suppose? Well,let's get the canvas on her."
Already the natives were hauling their canoe down the beach, and by thetime the yawl had set her sails the splash of a score of paddles showedthat they had lost no time in embarking.
"Up with your helm, Andy; check the jib sheets."
Then, as the little craft drew clear of the land, the freshening breezecaused her to heel and glide through the ruffled water of the lagoon.
By the time they had gained the passage through the reef the yawl wasahead of the canoe.
"Glorious!" ejaculated Andy. "See, they're setting their sail. Itwill be a good race, after all."
Half a dozen bronzed natives were setting the raking mast and bendingthe yard with its enormous sail of cocoa fibre. Then, as the sail roseswiftly in the air, the breeze filled the mat-like canvas. The crewtook in their paddles and watched the yawl with curious eyes.
"We are gaining on her, I think," remarked Andy.
"Yes; we must shorten sail," replied Mr. McKay. "But I wantparticularly to note the respective speeds of the two craft. I shouldthink that, under sail and aided by her paddles, that canoe couldoverhaul us under sail alone. Yes," he continued, after a few moments'careful observation. "I think I've seen enough in case of futuredevelopments, so we'll strike the topsail."
Under reduced canvas the yawl kept the canoe at a regular distance fromher, neither gaining nor allowing the latter to overhaul her. Quexo,fearing an attack of sea-sickness, had retired to the seclusion of aberth in the fo'c'sle, while Ellerton and Terence, who had kept thelast portion of the previous night's watch, followed his example,though from other motives.
Andy was steering. His father, who had given him the course, was belowpreparing a meal.
The wind held steadily all the forenoon, and by eleven o'clock thesummit of McKay's Island had dipped beneath the horizon. It was notwithout feelings of regret that Andy saw it disappear. He, too,realised that they were embarked upon a hazardous mission, and thatpossibly great sacrifice would have to be made ere they returned totheir island home.
At midday the wind died away to a flat calm, the yawl rollingsluggishly in the oily swell, with her boom swaying violently from sideto side, and threatening dire disaster to the heads of any of the crewthat incaut
iously came within its reach.
The canoe, similarly situated, did not hesitate to lower the sail, andpaddle close alongside.
"This is a bit rotten, cap'n," shouted Blight. "Shall I give you atow?"
"No thanks, don't trouble about us," replied Mr. McKay. "You canpaddle on ahead, and we'll follow when the breeze springs up. If wecan't fetch Ni Atong before dark you might get those fellows to light afire on the beach, so that we can come up to the anchorage."
"Righto, boss! Ta-ta!"
There was a peculiar glint in the man's eye. He fancied that thesuperior speed of the canoe under paddles was an asset in his favourfor the events he had already planned.
The chief gave the word, the blades dipped, and, gathering way, thecanoe soon gained a rapid pace. The long-drawn song of the paddlersgradually died away as the distance increased, and an hour later thecanoe was lost to sight.
"Now, Andy, we'll start the motor, and creep up within a couple ofmiles of Ni Atong. They will think we have picked up a breeze."
"Why don't you want to let that chap Blight know we've a motor?"
"Frankly, Andy, I don't trust him. If he plays a straight game, welland good; but, should he act treacherously--and I have every reason tobelieve he will, judging by his past career--we must keep a trump cardup bur sleeves. That's why I wanted to make sure of the respectivespeeds of the two craft, for you may be certain that, since the chiefis in her, yonder canoe is the largest and swiftest they possess.Under power we can easily outstrip her, I have no doubt."
No sooner had the motor started than Terence and Ellerton appeared.
"Hullo! Where's the wind?" asked the latter.
"And where's the canoe? added Donaghue.
"Hull down," replied Andy. "They've gone on ahead to give us ahouse-warming. Now, you fellows, get yourselves something to eat, andthen give us a spell. I'll let you have the course. Keep your weathereye lifting, and look out for a breeze. It may come down suddenly."
"You bet I will," assented Ellerton. "How far are we from Ni Atong?"
"About twenty miles. Directly the island hoves in sight call us."
At about four in the afternoon Terence, who had climbed the main-mastand had taken up a perch upon the diminutive cross-trees, reported landahead.
Mr. McKay and Andy were instantly warned, and, a breeze springing up,the motor was shut off.
Half an hour later the heads of a patch of palm trees were visible fromthe deck.
"That's Ni Atong, right enough," commented Mr. McKay, as bit by bit theland appeared to rise above the horizon. "Blight told me that theentrance to the lagoon is easily picked out."
Ni Atong resolved itself into a low, regularly outlined island barelytwo miles in length. Its surface was covered with dense scrub and afew cocoanut palms, the soil being apparently loose and sandy. So faras could be seen, a coral reef extended round the island at a distanceof half a mile from the shore, the rocks in places protruding abovewater to a height of nearly three feet.
"There's another island showing up on our port bow, sir," announcedEllerton.
"Then that's Ahii. It's a lofty island something like ours, judging bythe appearance of that mountain. However, we'll hear and see more ofit later on. Now, Andy, we are approaching the reef. Do you climbaloft and con the boat in through the channel."
This is the only practical method of entering an unbeaconed lagoon, forowing to the sudden increase in depth, a lead line is of little use.On the other hand, the extreme clearness of the water makes it possiblefor a man aloft to detect instantly any rocks or shoals that lurkbeneath the surface.
For the space of five minutes it was an anxious time. On either handthe breakers thrashed themselves in masses of milk-white foam upon theglistening coral reef, while ahead a narrow patch of undulating, yetunbroken water showed the presence of the only available channel intothe shelter of the lagoon.
"Starboard--bear away--starboard again--port, steady!"
Under the light breeze the yawl was in danger of dropping to leewardupon the merciless rocks. One moment her stern was lifted high in theair, the rudder consequently being useless. The next she threw herstreaming bows above the following wave, then, shaving the edge of thereef by a bare five yards, the little vessel glided into the quietwaters of the anchorage.
The crew now had time to look about them. Drawn up on the sandy beachwere seven large canoes, similar to that which had paid an unwelcomevisit to McKay's Island, while others, only slightly smaller in size,were hauled up beneath the shelter of the bushes, their lofty carvedprows alone being visible.
The beach was lined with natives, numbering at least 180 men, besides ahost of women and children.
The men were of medium stature, muscular, and well built. In colourthey resembled that of Quexo, being considerably lighter than thenatives of New Guinea. Many of them bore scars, possiblyself-inflicted or the result of inter-tribal wars.
"Stand by to let go!" shouted Andy to Terence and Ellerton. Then, asthe yawl shot up into the wind, he followed up with: "Let go!"
With a roar and rattle of chain the anchor plunged to the bottom of thelagoon, and as the crew prepared to lower and stow the sails, Mr. McKaywaved his arm towards the crowded shore.
"Well, lads," he exclaimed, "what do you think of our allies?"