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Speaking in Spanish, slow and clear, while the canoe drifted steadily up the bay with the rising tide, Elsie unfolded her project. Behind the guardian cliff of Otter Creek a ridge of rocks created a small natural harbor. It was the custom of the Alaculofs, when the weather was calm, and they meant to use their craft at daybreak, to anchor most of their vessels in this sheltered break-water.
We've slung fifty-three Indians an' six of the crew overboard. There's fourteen wounded natives an' five of our men in the doctor's hands. Two Alaculofs died of funk when they set eyes on the nigger who turned up in the life-boat. They thought well, here's chin chin to everybody. I'm thirsty." "By the way, what of Monsieur de Poincilit?" said Courtenay.
In effect, centenarians were needed to bear testimony to a week's fine weather; whereas no man most certainly no woman among the Alaculofs ever succeeded in reaching the threescore years and ten regarded by the psalmist as the span of life. But the miner from Argentina never wavered in his belief that the Indians would soon muster every adult for an assault on the ship.
They were aiming point-blank at the vessel, in so far as they could be said to aim at anything, and the low trajectory caused the first straight shot to rebound from the surface of the water and strike a plate amidships. The loud clang of the metal was hailed by the Alaculofs with shouts of delight. Probably they had no fixed idea of the distance the tiny projectiles would carry.
If they could lessen the distance between the shore and the ship, each yard thus gained would help the prisoners and impose a stronger barrier against the Alaculofs, who would probably be daunted when they found that the vessel's mobility was restored. This proposal was deemed so excellent that they all dined in vastly better spirits than any of them anticipated.
"Got married when I reached home that trip," he explained. "The wife comes here every Thursday, an' I have to carry the kit. Rather rot, isn't it?" "It is certainly a change from stoking the donkey-boiler, and bowling over Alaculofs like nine-pius."
Every other person on the ship held the opinion that the Alaculofs would attack by night, if they were not afraid to attempt the enterprise at all. So Suarez slept soundly, while his companions were on the qui vive for a call to repel boarders.
Brave as I know you to be, you are not physically fitted for the rough work which may be needed. I think, too, you exaggerate the risk. The Alaculofs are broken by last night's failure. They will not dare to face us." "At least spare me an argument which does not convince yourself; otherwise you would depute me instantly for the service." "Well, you force plain speaking.
Just as negroes conjure up white demons, so did these nude Alaculofs regard with awe men who wore clothes. They were ready to kill and eat the strange beings of another race who, few in numbers and ill armed, wandered into their rock-pent fastness, but it was quite a different thing to face them in equal combat. At last the sounds of conflict died away.
From the final stage of a hopeless butchery the survivors of the ship's company were suddenly transferred to a position of reasonable security. It was not that the arrival of the ship's boats meant such an accession of fighting strength that the Alaculofs could not have made sure of victory. Gray and his companions were badly armed.
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