'We mustn't run away from them, Captain Herrendeen,' said Mrs. Casalle, quickly. 'Don't think me nervous, but even being in a boat now terrifies me, and Tom is such an awful boy. If it came on to blow hard, he would just be delighted. Why, as we were leaving I asked him to come with us, but he said he wanted to go with Mr. Chester, as they might pick up a turtle in the moonlight! And that boat is loaded down to the gunwales already. If they swamped'--she shuddered--'and anything happened to him, it would break my heart.'
Captain Herrendeen laughed, but lowered the peak of the mainsail, so as to decrease the speed of the boat.
'Why, he swims like a native, Mrs. Casalle, and would enjoy the thing; but there, we'll wait for them.'
'Thank you, captain. I know I'm silly, but I can't help it. And I was thinking of sharks. Oh! I saw such a dreadful thing once in the Paumotu Group, when a canoe full of people upset, on just such a moonlight night'----
'Hallo! what's that?' cried the second mate, as a report of a gun came from the other boat.
Herrendeen luffed, and looked astern at the same time.
'Tom's having a shot at nothing, to get rid of his superfluous energy--hallo! there's another,' as a flash and a second report came, followed by a hail.
'Why, they're hailing--the boat's filling, I expect! Down with the sail there, you men! We must pull up to her.'
The sail was quickly lowered, and the boat headed back under the long sweeping strokes of five oars. The mission boat, however, still came on, running steadily before the wind.
'What's the matter with you?' shouted Herrendeen, as he came within speaking distance.