"Let me go back.

They must be killed." "Nay, nay, my lad, it's all right," whispered the first-mate; "they're coming down." It was a fact, for the major slid quickly down the cotton rope, and the captain could be seen leaning out ready to follow, as he did directly and took his place in the boat.
"Will you give orders, or shall I ?" whispered Gregory, as Mark gazed to right and left, and then back over the stern, where his mother sat by Mary O'Halloran, and as he looked he could see that there was a black shadow of the ship stretching far away over the shining waters.
"Go on," said the captain; and, taking an oar to steer, the mate gave a short order, oars were dipped, and the heavily-laden gig moved slowly out from under the stern, the mate keeping her in the shadow as soon as she was turned.
In the act of turning Mark caught sight of one of the praus glistening as if gilded, and just a slighter glimpse of the second prau, while for a minute or two all sat in silent dread of their having been seen.
But there was no yell to announce their discovery, and directly after they were back in the shelter of the shadow, and moving steadily in the face of a soft breeze farther and farther from the praus..