The schooner now began to glide quickly down the creek; but
before we reached its mouth, a yell from a thousand voices on the bank
told that we were discovered. Instantly a number of the savages plunged
into the water and swam towards us; but we were making so much way that
they could not overtake us. One, however, an immensely powerful man,
succeeded in laying hold of the cut rope that hung from the stern, and
clambered quickly upon deck. Bill caught sight of him the instant his
head appeared above the taffrail; but he did not cease to row, and did
not appear even to notice the savage until he was within a yard of him.
Then, dropping the sweep, he struck him a blow on the forehead with his
clenched fist that felled him to the deck. Lifting him up, he hurled
him overboard, and resumed the oar. But now a greater danger awaited
us, for the savages had outrun us on the bank, and were about to plunge
into the water ahead of the schooner. If they succeeded in doing so,
our fate was sealed. For one moment Bill stood irresolute. Then,
drawing a pistol from his belt, he sprang to the brass gun, held the
pan of his pistol over the touch-hole, and fired. The shot was
succeeded by the hiss of the cannon's priming; then the blaze and the
crushing thunder of the monstrous gun burst upon the savages with such
deafening roar that it seemed as if their very mountains had been rent
asunder.
This was enough.
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