The Argosy, Vol. XXIV, No. 3 — page 185: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE MUTINY ON ‘THE FLYING CLOUD. 569 following that of their escape from Island Harbor they had the satisfaction of heaving to the ship off the skipper’s island. Here the colors were hoisted and a gun was fired at frequent intervals, a keen scrutiny of the island being maintained meanwhile with the aid of the telescope, so that if the captain and Manners were still there they might have an opportunity afforded them to paddle off to the ship, or at least to signal their presence. Hour after hour passed away, however, without any sign being discovered of the existence of living beings upon the island; and at length, just as the sun was setting, Ned headed the ship about and laid his course for Refuge Island, shrewdly surmising that the skipper and Manners had found means to rejoin the passengers. The mountain on Refuge Island was made out about three o’clock next morning, from the deck of the Flying Cloud, the atmosphere being some- what hazy at the time; and daybreak found the ship off the northeastern extremity of the island, some two miles distant, when the colors were again hoisted and guns fired as before, the reports serving, as has already been seen, to greatly disconcert the Malays and expedite their departure. The first thing seen by the anxious watchers on the-ship’s deck was the proa crowding sail out of the harbor, a sight which filled them with the keenest anxiety ; and Ned, thinking it possible that his friends might at that moment be prisoners on board the vessel, was busying himself in making preparations to open fire upon her, with the hope that he might be able to dismast her and so frustrate her attempt to escape, when his mind was set at rest by the sight of the punt pulling off with Manners and Nichollsin her. Running down toward the tiny craft, Ned and his companions soon had the satisfaction of shaking hands with their two former shipmates, after which came mutual hurried inquiries and explanations, in which, on the part of the islanders, the adventures of the past night naturally occupied an im- portant*place. For the mouth of the harbor the Flying Cloud was now headed, under Manners’ pilotage, and half an hour later she rounded to and let go her anchor in mid stream exactly opposite the creek, to the unbounded astonish- ment and delight of Henderson and Grant. The delight and exultation of all hands when at length a general meeting took place at the fort must be left to the lively imagination of the reader ; an entire chapter would be needed for its adequate portrayal. Suffice it to say that there was only one bitter drop in the cup of happiness quaffed by the party that morning, and that was the sad loss of poor Captain Blake, which Ned felt with exceptional keenness, not only because it was wholly unex- pected by him, but also because he had, ever since making good his escape, been looking forward with pleasurable anticipation to the moment when he should be able to hand over the ship to her rightful commander. CHAPTER XL.—THE LAUNCH OF THE PETREL. THE whole of that day was spent by the party in the interchange of a full and detailed recital of the various events which had transpired since the COMmicboooks.c©