Alas! thought she, my buttons, my nails, my tappa, my dollars, my beads, and my boxes! Wrought up to desperation by these dismal forebodings, she at length shook the ropes leading from her own perch to Samoa's; adopting this method of arousing his attention to the heinousness of what was in all probability going on in the cabin, a prelude most probably to the invasion of her own end of the vessel.

Had she dared raise her voice, no doubt she would have suggested the expediency of shooting us so soon as we emerged from the cabin.

But failing to shake Samoa into an understanding of her views on the subject, her malice proved futile.
When her worst fears were confirmed, however, and we actually descended into the forecastle; there ensued such a reckless shaking of the ropes, that Samoa was fain to hold on hard, for fear of being tossed out of the rigging.

And it was this violent rocking that caused the loud creaking of the yards, so often heard by us while below in Annatoo's apartment.
And the fore-top being just over the open forecastle scuttle, the dame could look right down upon us; hence our proceedings were plainly revealed by the lights that we carried.

Upon our breaking open her strong-box, her indignation almost completely overmastered her fears.