The shot missed the Kanaka, and pierced the mummy case.

Then from it came a piercing yell of agony and rage.
"Great God!" shouted Hope, who was watching the battle, "I believe Braddock is in that damned thing." The next moment De Gayangos was swung overboard also, and the sailors were lifting Hervey into the boat.

It nearly upset, but he managed to get in, and the craft rowed for the vessel, which was again showing a flaring blue light.

Random sent a shot after the boat, and then with the policemen ran down to help De Gayangos, who was struggling in the water.
He managed to pull him out, and when he had him safe and breathless on shore, he saw that the boat was nearing the ship, and that Date, torn and wet and disheveled, with three policemen, was up to his waist in water, struggling to bring ashore Cockatoo and the mummy case, to which he clung like a limpet.

Hope ran down to give a hand, and in a few minutes they had the Kanaka ashore, fighting like the demon he was.
Random and De Gayangos joined the breathless group, and Cockatoo was held in the grasp of two strong men--who required all their strength to hold him--while Date, warned by Hope's cry of what was in the case, tore at the lid.