They sat for long enough in the cabin that night, looking out through the open window at the lightning flickering about the volcano cloud, and the fire-flies flitting about the nearest patch of green growth, while every now and then a faint pa.s.sing quiver told that the action below was still going on, though its violence seemed to be past, and the disturbance gradually dying out, perhaps to wait for years before another outbreak. There was a feeling akin to sadness as they sat talking, for they had all grown so intimate that the parting on the morrow promised to be painful. But the mate saw how they were all affected, and tried hard to cheer them up, rising at last to take a final look round before they retired for the night.

Oliver's sleep was terribly disturbed. He dreamed that the blacks had come with no ordinary weapons, but each bearing a bundle of dry wood which they piled-up round the brig and set on fire, and as the flames flashed in his eyes he started up in bed to see that the cabin was vividly illuminated, but only for a moment or two at a time, and he knew that it was from the electricity which played about the mountain top.

He was glad enough when daylight came, and after a bathe in the spring where the bitter water was just comfortably hot, he felt refreshed and took upon himself the duty of sending off the rifles, guns, and ammunition, which would be needed on the voyage.

These were entrusted to Smith to carry down to the lagoon and put on board, and at last the hour arrived for the mate to start, Panton being left for that day in command at the brig, while Oliver and Drew started, gun on shoulder, to see Mr Rimmer off.

Very little was said during the walk, and the young men's spirits sank low when they reached the coral sands where the lugger, with sails all ready for hoisting, lay on the pleasantly rippled blue lagoon.

"Capital," cried Mr Rimmer. "Just wind enough to take us well out through the opening in the reef."

As he spoke he waved his hand, the dinghy put off from the lugger, and a man rowed to the sh.o.r.e.

"Good-bye," cried the mate, quickly. "Only a pleasant trip, my dear sirs. I'll soon be back. Shove off."

"It is to avoid showing that he is nervous about his voyage," said Oliver as the man obeyed, and the little boat skimmed away toward where the lugger lay hanging on to a buoy, formed of a little keg anch.o.r.ed to a huge block of coral in the deepest part, by a great noose which had been cleverly dropped around the rock. And then as they stood leaning upon their guns, the dinghy reached the lugger and was made fast, the mooring rope was cast off and the men began to hoist the first sail, when Drew suddenly uttered a cry of horror.

"What's the matter?" exclaimed Oliver.

"Look! look!" was the reply.

Oliver already saw. A great war canoe was being paddled down the lagoon from the north, another was approaching from the south, and from out of the haze made by the booming breakers, a third came on toward the opening through which the mate had arranged to pa.s.s to the sea.

The two young men stood paralysed for a few moments, before Oliver raised his gun to give a signal of alarm.

But he lowered it into the hollow of his arm, as he felt that it was unnecessary, for the mate must see.

"Look," cried Drew. "He's coming back to take his luck with us," as they saw that the canoes were being paddled rapidly to lay their crews on board. For the sail hoisted had filled, and the second was being raised while the mate at the helm was steering the lugger as if to bring her close to where the young men stood.

"That's right, come ash.o.r.e, we'll cover you," roared Oliver, and then he uttered a groan, for the lugger curved round when close to them, and then rushed through the water toward the opening in the reef.

Oliver's heart sank.

"Discretion's the better part of valour," he muttered, "he's going to leave us all in the lurch."

CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT.

A WET RACE FOR LIFE.

These were harsh and cruel words to use respecting the man who had shown so much true manliness of disposition; but there are times when we all show what a great deal of the imperfect there is in our natures, and this was one of those times with Oliver, who, judging by the mate's acts, formed the conclusion that, seeing their case was desperate, and a way out to save his own life, he had, in sudden panic, fled.

"Seems like it," said Drew, sadly. "But quick, lie down. No, let's get behind here."

The need of concealment was pressing, for they were standing out upon the open sands, and, with a feeling of despair and misery attacking him, Oliver followed his companion to where some huge fragments of madrepore coral lay a few yards from the water's edge, affording them a place where they could hide, and, at the same time, observe what was going on out in the lagoon, where matters were growing exciting.

"Better have come back and fought it out with us," said Drew, bitterly, as they saw that the blacks were straining every effort to cut off the lugger before it reached the gap in the barrier reef; while, evidently seeing the situation of affairs, those who were in the canoe outside were, like the occupants of the lugger, though from a different side, rapidly approaching the opening.

"They'll cut him off before he reaches it," said Oliver, excitedly.

"Can we do anything to help him?"

"No, nothing, we are too far-off," said Drew, sadly. "How could he be so foolish?"

"And why don't he give up the helm to one of the men? Either of them could steer; and he could throw the blacks into confusion by firing a few shots."

But after a little show of excitement on board, Mr Rimmer stayed by the helm; while the two canoes, from north and south, with some twenty paddles on each side, made the blue water flash like diamonds, as they threw it up with their spoon-shaped implements, sending their canoes along at a tremendous rate.

"They'll cut him off, they'll cut him off," cried Oliver, excitedly.

"Oh, why don't he fire at them?"

He paused breathless, watching the exciting scene of the lugger careening over, as she raced through the water.

"My word, she sails well," said Drew.

"Splendidly," cried Oliver. "But don't, don't talk about the boat.

Look at poor Rimmer, he stands up there as if brave as a lion. I wish I hadn't said that about him, and yet it's true enough, he's running away like a cur. But it's no good, my friend, they're too much for you; they'll cut in just before you get to the opening, and be aboard of you like a swarm of wasps. Oh, Drew! it's horrible!"

"And all our specimens, the work of months, gone."

"Hang the specimens!" cried Oliver. "I'd give a hundred times as many to be on the lugger now with our guns. A few good shots, and we could save him."

"Yes. Shall we fire now?"

"Pooh! Shall we throw a few handfuls of sand into the water, or two or three stones? Look! there they go; they're going to drive their prows right into her, one on each side, and with their length, speed, and weight, they'll crush in her planks like a matchwood box. I can't bear, to see it. It's horrible."

"I can't; but I must look," cried Drew, piteously.

"Yes, we must look and see the worst," groaned Oliver. Then stamping his foot: "Why are we not there to help him?"

He ceased speaking, and stood leaning forward, with his eyes just above the edge of the rock, gazing, fascinated by the scene before him. There were the four vessels all clear in the brilliant sunshine, three of them with their prows aimed straight at the fourth, which appeared to be doomed as it glided along with its sails well filled, rushing now for the opening before it, and the sea.

Closer and closer the canoes on either side, gliding along, with their dark sides flecked with silver, and their black crews toiling on with wondrous exact.i.tude, on and on with increasing speed, while the third canoe slackened, and suddenly was thrown right across the opening, as if to block the gateway leading to freedom. On either side the huge breakers glided in softly, and then, as they reached the reef; rose, curled over, glistening with green, blue, and gold, as they hung for a moment or two on high, and then crashed down into sparkling gems, from which diamond dust seemed to rise in a soft vapoury cloud.

But still the collision did not come. The distance was greater than the watchers had allowed for, and in those exciting moments time seemed to be long-drawn-out.

"Now it's coming," cried Oliver, at last. "Good-bye, Rimmer, I liked you, after all. Ah!"

His last e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n was quite a wild exciting cry, for the distance between the prows of the two canoes, and the sides of the lugger grew less and less, and then they seemed to strike and go right through her, while imagination painted her crew struggling in the water, to be pierced through and through by the spears of the savages.

"Hurrah!" shouted Drew suddenly, and a film of mist which had been blurring Oliver Lane's eyes, suddenly cleared away, for though the two prows had seemed to go through the lugger, there she was still racing on for the gap, while the two canoes partly crossed behind her stern after she had dashed between them, and their occupants were curving round to go in chase, crossing and taking up their positions on either side astern.

"Escaped for the moment, but it's all over," cried Oliver, "they'll take her now, she can't get away. Look, what is Rimmer going to do? Oh, it is madness."

Madness or no, the mate's decision was plain enough to them now, and it was evident that he had some faith in the strength of his boat, for onward she was rushing straight for the side of the great sixty-foot long canoe which blocked the way. One minute the watchers saw her rise up on one of the rollers that came pouring through the opening, the next she was nearly lost to sight, but only to rise again upon another, being suspended in equilibrium for a few moments and then careening over, she dashed down a slope of water, right on to, and as it were, over the long narrow canoe and then off and away to sea.

Oliver Lane could hardly believe it for the moment, but it was all true enough, there was the _Little Planet_ sailing away, while through the opening in the reef the great canoe floated bottom upwards, and the white foamy water was seen to be dotted with black heads, whose owners were swimming for the wreck of their vessel, or to the two canoes which approached them.

"Three cheers for Rimmer," cried Drew, excitedly.