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She was, however, by this time a considerable distance along the coast, and I could scarcely hope that our signal had been seen. I had been keeping my eyes on her for some time, without turning my head, when I heard voices, and looking round, I saw Mr Hooker and his party coming towards me. "No chance of getting off this time, I am afraid," said Mr Thudicumb.
"De captain believe Ali when he say before dat he took boat to help ladies; and he no believe dat he set de ship on fire," was the black's answer. "Well, Potto, I will tell Mr Thudicumb what you say, as before, and I am very sure he will attend to your advice.
We, indeed, were prevented from returning to her for some days, on account of a strong wind setting in directly on the shore, which created so much surf that we were unable to pass through it in our small boat. Mr Thudicumb was to be our master-builder.
We continued waving an adieu, but I do not think those on board could have seen us; indeed, we could only just distinguish them as they stood on the deck. Away, away she sailed towards the east. She went in that direction because Mr Thudicumb believed, from the way the wind blew when dear Walter was carried away from the land, that he would have been driven to some place in that direction.
We now filled the shells we had brought with water, and slinging them on a bamboo, proceeded back to the fort. The party who had remained in the fort had made good progress in strengthening it, and we now felt ourselves prepared for the pirates' reception. "We shall have no difficulty in beating them back," I observed to Mr Thudicumb, "with a fort like this for our protection."
Mr Thudicumb now once more urged the importance of commencing our proposed vessel. I rather think that the two naturalists were in no hurry to get away from the island, as they were both of them anxious to replace the objects of natural history which had been destroyed by the pirates.
"Perhaps some people have been cast away," he observed, "and have hoisted the flag as a signal to any passers-by." Mr Hooker was still too weak to go ashore without inconvenience. Mr Thudicumb therefore ordered Dick Tarbox, myself, Roger Trew, and three others, to go in the boat, well armed with muskets and pistols, and to ascertain the state of the case.
"Thudicumb," he said, when he came out, "the glass is falling slowly and regularly. Depend upon it, this calm is not going to last. We will shorten sail at once. There is no use in having all this canvas hanging from the yards; and when the breeze does come, it will come quick and sharp. It may be only an ordinary gale, but I rather think it will be something considerably heavier."
"He is in a state of great agitation, sir," said Mr Thudicumb, as Mr Sedgwick appeared, "but what he says I cannot make out." Tanda and his master exchanged a few words. "Friends," said Mr Sedgwick, "the pirates are approaching. They have found their way up the river road, and will be here in a short time. Once more I must urge you to fight to the last. I know them well.
"If we had a dozen more fellows with us, we would quickly sally out and put them to flight!" exclaimed Mr Thudicumb. "But as we are only nine in all, not counting de ladies and Merlin, and dem fellows fight like wild beasts, we hab hard job to drive dem back," said Potto Jumbo. "Still we fight while we got drop blood in de veins. Merlin fight wid teeth dough; you see dat!
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