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"Let me try this time," said Mark at last. "I'm lighter, and I think I could get hold of the side with the boathook as soon as I am on the keel." "Hear that, my lads?" shouted Dance, "and me to have handled a hitcher all these years, and never to have thought of it. Boat's righted, messmates, now; only, by your leave, sir, if you'd let me try, I think I could do it easier than you."
This, as it turned out, was rather a fortunate circumstance. Preparatory to quitting their sledge, the men had loaded themselves with eight pounds of pemmican and two of biscuit, besides the artificial horizon, sextant, and compass, a rifle, and a boathook. They had not been an hour gone when, as above stated, four of the dogs overtook them.
"Aye, aye!" shouted the voice of the India-rubber Man from the stern, adding in lower tones, "Boathook up forward. Fore halliards in hand...." "Home again!" said another voice in the darkness. "And so the long day wears on..." Dinner in the Gunroom was over. One by one the occupants became engrossed in their wonted evening occupations and amusements.
On this, the bowmen unshipped their oars with great care, so as not to cause any rocking; and, laying them in dexterously, faced round at the same time, one holding a boathook ready and the other the grapnel with a coil of rope attached, prepared to fling it when we were near enough to the ship.
The boat came alongside, and a bowman fastened his boathook at the side of the ship, and held it in place. At the same moment Boxie let drive his sixty-pound shot; but he ought to have waited an instant longer, for the missile dropped harmlessly into the river. The bowman had not obtained a good hold, and he lost it, so that the boat began to drift astern.
But we can tell something by the mangroves that fringe the land," replied the pilot; "and I will go into the bow of the cutter and look out for them." Mr. Amblen made his way to the fore sheets, and asked Boxie, who was there, for the boathook, with which he proceeded to sound.
The action was so unexpected that Orme was completely taken by surprise. He made ready, however, to leap in unarmed, but the Japanese thrust the blunt end of the boathook at him, and the blow, which struck him in the chest, sent him toppling backward. He was saved from tumbling into the cockpit by Porter, who caught him by the shoulders and helped him to right himself.
"He'll try to fend with the boathook," said Porter. "If he does, I'll get him." "How?" "Lasso." Orme picked up a spare painter that was stored under the seat, and began to tie a slip-noose. The girl now spoke. "I suppose we shall have to do it," she said. "But I wish there were a less dangerous, a less tragic way." Hardly knowing what he did, Orme laid his hand gently on her shoulder.
A signal-line was to hang at my side, and a hunting-knife, a revolver, a strong canvas bag to hold the booty, and an ashen pole iron-shod at one end and provided with a strong iron boathook at the other, completed my equipment, each article of which had undergone the strictest scrutiny before its adoption.
"There's no boathook!" cried the coxswain; and on the keepers being called to account, their story was received with such manifest doubt, that Don writhed and sat sullenly in his place in the boat, as it was rowed back to the sloop. "Rather an absurd story that, Jones about the boathook," said the captain as he stepped on board. "Mind it is reported to-morrow morning.
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