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But they were not yet done with the shore and the horror of the yellow
flag. About midway of the pass, there was a cry and a scurry, a man was
seen to leap upon the rail, and, throwing his arms over his head, to
stoop and plunge into the sea.
'Steady as she goes,' the captain cried, relinquishing the wheel to
Huish.
The next moment he was forward in the midst of the Kanakas, belaying pin
in hand.
'Anybody else for shore?' he cried, and the savage trumpeting of his
voice, no less than the ready weapon in his hand, struck fear in all.
Stupidly they stared after their escaped companion, whose black head
was visible upon the water, steering for the land. And the schooner
meanwhile slipt like a racer through the pass, and met the long sea of
the open ocean with a souse of spray.
'Fool that I was, not to have a pistol ready!' exclaimed Davis. 'Well,
we go to sea short-handed, we can't help that. You have a lame watch of
it, Mr Hay.'
'
I don't see how we are to get along,' said Herrick.
Got to,' said the captain. 'No more Tahiti for me.'
'
Both turned instinctively and looked astern. The fair island was
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