That will never do. As you know the
Captain and Redbeard are the helmsman's enemies and have conspired
against his life. He will not come back to save them--he would be a
fool if he did--but he loves the boy. Our only salvation lies in
keeping the boy here with us; in holding him as a whiplash over the
helmsman. Otherwise we are lost."
All nodded assent to Lihoa's words, but as they had no way of telling
the Captain what they wanted, they decided that when the time came for
the boat to sail they would forcibly detain Willy. Just here little
Peppo, whom they thought dead, appeared in their midst. He and one
sailor had escaped and swum across the little inlet. The cannibals had
not killed them when they did their companions for some reason or other
but had bound them with cords and left them on the shore. These cords
they had managed to unfasten, and, protected by the darkness, had got
away. While the sailor was telling his companions of his awful
experience Lihoa told Peppo what to say to the Captain, and to add
force to the words, the Chinamen in a body attended the small
interpreter on his mission.
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