"They're coming. Hadn't we better see if we can pull off?"
Mr. Lakewood asked the question as he saw the leader of the navy, evidently having finished his oration, sit down and pick up a paddle.
"We'll try, but I doubt if we can move her yet," Captain Ole told him. "Back her up, Mr. Kelley," he ordered waving his hand to the man in the wheel house.
Almost at once the propeller began to turn, and in a moment it was beating the water to a white foam, but the Valkyrie did not budge an inch.
"No go yet," the captain shook his head.
The boats were now moving toward the Valkyrie, but it was evident to those on board that the natives were in no hurry to come to close quarters. Probably aware of the fact that their victims, as they undoubtedly already considered them, were unable to get away and, at the same time having a healthy respect for their weapons, the sound of which at least, they had heard, they had evidently determined to make the attack with as little danger to themselves as possible. So, instead of paddling directly toward the Valkyrie they began to spread out in a large bow.
"Just what I expected," Captain Ole growled.
"Meaning what?" Mr. Lakewood asked.
"They're going to surround us."
"They naturally would."