As a matter of fact, nothing happened, though before dawn Tommy did growl a good deal, for I heard him, but as he sank into slumber again on my bed, I did not get up.

In the morning I found from fresh footprints that two or three men had been prowling about the ship, though at a little distance.
We rose early, and taking the necessary precautions, bathed in the pool.
Then we breakfasted, and having filled every available receptacle with water, which took us a long time as these included a large tank that supplied the bath, so that we might have at least a week's supply in case of siege, we went on deck and debated what we should do.

In the end we determined to stop where we were and await events, because, as I pointed out, it was necessary that we should discover whether these natives were hostile or friendly.

In the former event we could hold our own on the ship, whereas away from it we must be overwhelmed; in the latter there was always time to move inland.
About ten o'clock when we were seated on stools smoking, with our guns by our side--for here, owing to the overhanging cliff in which it will be remembered the prow of the ship was buried, we could not be reached by missiles thrown from above--we saw numbers of the islanders advancing upon us along the beach on either side.

They were preceded as before by women who bore food on platters and in baskets.