CHAPTER XVIII. RESCUED FROM DEATH. MORE dead than alive Harty regained the shore, still in the grasp of his terrible captor. The latter appeared to hold some authority over his companions, for, when all were gathered together on the beach again, after a somewhat noisy council had been held, the others appeared to yield to the arguments put forth by him, and all set out at a brisk pace; Harty having received no further attention than a scowl from his own particular savage, who still kept a firm hold upon the boy's shoulder, and with whom no one appeared to dispute any right of possession. Many and terrible were the pictures which poor Harty's imagination conjured up before him during that hurried, forced march. He had read of cannibal savages, who roasted and ate their prisoners; of dreadful tortures by fire, and by shooting with poisoned arrows. He gave himself up for lost any way; for he had noticed the menacing gestures of some of the savages, when they pointed to the dead bodies of two of their number who had perished, and he had no doubt that he should be sacrificed in revenge for their loss. intruded upon; yet at times visited by those of a fierce and murderous disposition. It was, therefore, with great caution that seamen accustomed themselves to visit the islands; glad as they always were to avail themselves of the opportunity of setting their feet upon the green earth, and obtaining those needful supplies I have alluded to. The very anticipation seemed to make sound men of such as had been ailing for weeks past. Two boats were lowered, and speedily manned. The invalids were divided. Sam and Harty were in one boat, with Larcom and Bill Geelong. Hawkins was in the other. Baskets and water-jars in plenty were provided, with strong injunctions, from the elder men to the rest, not to stray about, but to keep well together. "I have landed here a score of times," said Hawkins, "and have never yet been molested, or seen aught worse than myself; still ye never know." Bill Geelong shook his head. "It's the pitcher to the well," he said sagely. "You may carry it safely ninety-nine times, and the hundredth it's smashed! You boys, keep the boat well in sight, and, whatever you do, don't go in among the trees up-shore." Once on the soft green that lined the banks, almost to the water's edge, one would have said the frenzy of madness had seized on the poor pale-faced sick men, who had languished so long in their close, pent-up bunks. They cast themselves on the ground, they buried their faces in the fresh green, they tore it up, and ate it in handfuls. It was not grass, but a species of small cress or clover, soft and delicate, though tasteless; but it seemed to put fresh life into the wretched men, as they grasped and chewed and devoured it, and bathed their faces in the moisture, and danced on their knees among it. Poor souls! It was for them a providential boon! Meantime, the boys had accompanied the party who sought the spring where they filled the water-jars. Sam had been on the island before, and was wonderfully officious in pointing out to Harty all the objects of interest. "The finest cocoa-nuts grow at the other spring," he said; "higher up a bit-come on!" But Harty remembered the injunction of the skipper to "keep well together." It was like a scene of enchantment to the boy, who had never beheld anything like it, except in those picturebooks at home, which had always set him longing for a life of adventure. Here was the golden-coloured sandy beach, and there the tall, delicate palm-trees, with their feathery crown of leaves, and bunches of royal fruit. There grew massive clusters of giant flowers, brilliant in hue; and, from the wood that stretched further in shore came, now and again, a singular medley of sounds-now a chatter, now a scream, now a soft whistling, whether of bird or beast, Harty could not have guessed. And there the sea; which for weeks past he had looked upon running mountains high, and threatening to overwhelm the ship; now crept softly up, kissing the shore, which sloped to meet it, and breaking, in noiseless wavelets, on the fruitful soil. Harty felt as though he were in a dream-so wild, so strange, and beautiful it all was. "You are taking it easy," he suddenly heard Sam's |