During the absence of captain and Ben, Hans had busied himself making a bucket of the staves of the broken water cask and needed only hoops to complete it. The two girls started to the boat after them. They had been gone but a few moments when they rushed back, with their faces as pale as death. Etta, throwing herself into her father’s arms, cried: “Papa, what shall we do, where can we hide? They have come, they have seen us, I am sure they have. Oh, papa, papa, what shall we do?”
Their fear soon communicated itself to the whole group.
“What is it,” exclaimed Captain Gray, “who has come?”
“The natives,” whispered Mabel, “don’t speak so loud, perhaps they didn’t see us after all.”
The captain was busy, meanwhile, trying to smother the fire by dragging a portion of the old sail upon it.
“If the smoke does not attract their notice,” said Captain Gray, “we may still be safe, if as Mabel thinks, they did not see you.”
“But papa, I am sure they did see us and they are cannibals, I know they are cannibals. What shall we do?”
“Put your trust in the Lord, and fear not,” said Mabel, drawing Etta close to her.
“Are you never frightened at anything Mabel, you are so calm?”
“Yes, I am afraid now, but I feel that what is best for me will happen, and it is useless for me to struggle against fate.”