Springing to the stern he lashed the rudder in such a position as that, while it aided me, it acted against him, and so rendered the force of our strokes nearly equal.

The schooner now began to glide quickly down the creek, but before we reached its mouth, a yell from a thousand voices on the bank told that we were discovered.

Instantly a number of the savages plunged into the water and swam towards us; but we were making so much way that they could not overtake us.

One, however, an immensely powerful man, succeeded in laying hold of the cut rope that hung from the stern, and clambered quickly upon deck.

Bill caught sight of him the instant his head appeared above the taffrail.