At length the tumult of battle ceased, and from the cries of exultation
that now arose from the savages, I felt assured that our men had been
conquered. I was immediately thrown into dreadful consternation. What
was I now to do? To be taken by the savages was too horrible to be
thought of; to flee to the mountains was hopeless, as I should soon be
discovered; and to take the schooner out of the creek without
assistance was impossible. I resolved, however, to make the attempt, as
being my only hope, and was on the point of pushing off, when my hand
was stayed, and my blood chilled by an appalling shriek, in which I
recognised the voice of one of the crew. It was succeeded by a shout
from the savages. Then came another and another shriek of agony, making
my ears to tingle, as I felt convinced they were murdering the pirate
crew in cold blood. With a bursting heart and my brain whirling as if
on fire, I seized the boat-hook to push from shore, when a man sprang
from the bushes.
"Stop! Ralph, stop!--there now, push off," he cried, and bounded into
the boat so violently as nearly to upset her. It was Bill's voice! In
another moment we were on board--the boat made fast, the line of the
anchor cut, and the sweeps run out. At the first stroke of Bill's giant
arm the schooner was nearly pulled ashore, for in his haste he forgot
that I could scarcely move the unwieldy oar. Springing to the stern, he
lashed the rudder in such a position as that, while it aided me, it
acted against him, and so rendered the force of our strokes nearly
equal.
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