But it was a black hour for them.

Of a sudden, while they were handling the tiller, three muskets were rapidly discharged upon them from the cabin skylight.

Two of the savages dropped dead.

The old steersman, clutching wildly at the helm, fell over it, mortally wounded; and in a wild panic at seeing their leaders thus unaccountably slain, the rest of the natives leaped overboard and made for the shore.
Hearing the slashing, Samoa flew on deck; and beholding the foresail set, and the brigantine heading right out to sea, he cried out to Annatoo, still aloft, to descend to the topsail-yard, and loose the canvas there.

His command was obeyed.