“Not half a dozen rounds each man,” cried I.
“We must reserve them for our utmost need, and take to our creeses and the butts of our pieces,” said Prabu.
“Aye, aye,” said Martin; “it will come to a hand-to-hand fight soon, and then we shall be beaten by mere numbers.”
“Would to heaven Kati and the prahu were near!” I exclaimed; and I must admit that, at the prospect before us, we became gloomy and thoughtful. My brother, however, who was seldom at a loss for expedients, suddenly exclaimed, as a bright thought occurred to him:
“I have it! We will re-rig that scuttled boat, and one or two of us can put out to sea in search of the prahu.”
“Good,” said Prabu, “and we may yet be saved; for she must be somewhere at hand upon the coast.”
“I have another notion,” cried Martin; “we will examine our prisoner.”
“To what purpose?” I asked.
“Oh! you will see,” he replied, and we had the man brought before us.
“Now,” said Martin to him, “we are going to hang you up to one of those palm-trees.”