“Yes; if the wind holds,” said the doctor, glancing back anxiously.
“It’ll howld,” said Malone firmly.
“Who made you so sure a judge of weather?” demanded Jenkins.
“Sure it isn’t me as is judge. It’s the widdy. She says to me this mornin’, says she, ‘The’ll be a stiff breeze afore night, Teddy,’ an’ I nivver found the widdy wrong in her forecasts o’ the weather.”
“The distance decreases rapidly! Hurrah! boys, we’ll catch them yet,” cried Dominick.
This was obviously the case. With her large sails filled by a stiff breeze almost directly astern, the boat went through the water like “a thing of life.” The savages, perceiving this, redoubled their efforts, but in vain. The pursuers gained on them rapidly.
An exclamation of surprise burst from those in the boat as they observed two splashes, one on either side of the canoe, as if some one had fallen or leaped overboard. A great shout from the savages followed, and they suddenly ceased to paddle. The canoe was still too far off for the pursuers to make out what had occurred; but in another minute they observed that two round black objects emerged from the water some distance astern of the canoe. The savages also saw these, and uttered a frightful yell as they backed their craft towards them.
“They’ve jumped overboard!” exclaimed Dominick. “Now, boys—ready with your guns!”
No need for this order. All were ready in a second, but none dared to fire for fear of hitting the swimmers.
Just then a savage rose in the stern of the canoe and poised a short spear.