Page:The crater; or, Vulcan's peak.djvu/282

42 THE CRATER; and they invariably aimed too high, by sighting along the upper side of the piece. This same fault is very common with the inexperienced in using a musket ; for, anxious to get a sight of the end of their piece, they usually stick it up into the air and overshoot their object. It was the opinion of Brown, on the whole, that little was to be ap prehended from Waally s fire-arms. The spear and club were the weapons to be dreaded; and with these the islanders were said to be very expert. But the disparity in numbers was the main ground of apprehension. When Brown was told how near the schooner was to being launched, he earnestly begged the governor to let him and Bigelow go to work and put her into the water, immediately. Everything necessary to a cruise was on board her, even to her provisions and water, the arrange ments having been made to launch her with her sails bent ; and, once in the water, Bill thought she would prove of the last importance to the defence. If the worst came to the worst, all hands could get on board her, and by stand ing through some of the channels that were clear of canoes, escape into the open water. Once there, Waally could do nothing with them, and they might be governed by cir cumstances. Woolston viewed things a little differently. He loved the Reef ; it had become dear to him by association and history, arid he did not relish the thought of abandoning it. There was too much property at risk, to say nothing of the ship, which would doubtless be burned for its metals, should the Indians get possession, even for a day. In that ship he had sailed ; in that ship he had been married ; in that ship his daughter had been born; and in that ship Bridget loved still to dwell, even more than she affected all the glo ries of the Eden of the Peak. That ship was not to be given up to savages without a struggle. Nor did Mark believe anything would be gained by depriving the men of tl;eir r^.-t during the accustomed hours. Early in the morning, with the light itself, he did intend to have Bigelow under the schooner s bottom ; but he saw no occasion for his working in the dark. Launching was a delicate busi ness, and some accident might happen in the obscurity. Aftet talking the matterover, therefore, all hands retired