May
the best of fortune favor you, and may you save the life of my nephew.
The insurance on this boat all goes to him; and if you rescue him, send
him to Father Somazzo in Hongkong. If you cannot save us, come back
and see that our bones receive decent Christian burial."
Thus spoke the Captain. The helmsman, who would willingly have stayed
behind on the dreary reef, made ready for the trip and at midnight set
sail with the ebb of the tide.
[1] NOTE.--What is told here and in the following chapter concerning
the cannibals happened at the time that the "St. Paul" was wrecked on
the Island of Rossel in July, 1858. Compare this account with the one
found in Jos. Spillmann's story, called "Over the South Sea."
CHAPTER XII.
At Last.
Night had settled down. The Chinamen lay under their tents and
listened to what Lihoa spoke: "So far we have avoided discord; from the
sea we have been saved, and now surely the God of the Golden Fish will
not let us perish from thirst. Within a few days it must rain;
drinking-water will come to us from the heavens. Tonight, I
understand, that the helmsman is to set sail for Australia in a small
boat, and take the boy with him.
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