If Tararo takes
it into his head to wish for our vessel, or to kill ourselves, he could
take us from them by force. You say that the native missionary talks
English?"
"So I believe."
"Then, what I propose is this," said Jack. "We will run round to the
south side of the island, and cast anchor off the Christian village. We
are too far away just now to have been descried by any of the savages,
so we shall get there unobserved, and have time to arrange our plans
before the heathen tribes know of our presence. But in doing this we
run the risk of being captured by the ill-disposed tribes, and being
very ill used, if not-a--"
"Roasted alive and eaten," cried Peterkin. "Come, out with it, Jack.
According to your own showing, it's well to look the danger straight in
the face!"
"Well, that is the worst of it, certainly. Are you prepared, then, to
take your chance of that?"
"I've been prepared and had my mind made up long ago," cried Peterkin,
swaggering about the deck with his hands thrust into his breeches
pockets. "The fact is, Jack, I don't believe that Tararo will be so
ungrateful as to eat us; and I'm quite sure that he'll be too happy to
grant us whatever we ask, so the sooner we go in and win the better."
Peterkin was wrong, however, in his estimate of savage gratitude, as
the sequel will show.
The schooner was now put before the wind, and after making a long run
to the southward, we put about and beat up for the south side of Mango,
where we arrived before sunset, and hove-to off the coral reef.
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