"Keep this arch-devil secure!" said the captain, as we pushed his royal person rather disrespectfully up the side. "As long as he is in our hands, we hold the best card in the pack. Didn't have any harm done, did you, Mr. Grafton?"
"No, sir; we gave 'em the slip too quick," answered the mate. "Look up in the head of the bay there!"
We looked; sure enough, there lay a large fleet of canoes all filled with armed men, resting, like baffled hounds; while on our weather quarter, at a safe distance, the small canoe of the king held way with us, uncertain whether to venture any nearer.
"Brace full and down tacks!" said the old man, as soon as the boat was hoisted up. "Sheet home the to'gallantsails, and make sail as fast as you can! We'll make a good stretch off shore, Mr. Grafton, so as to fetch to windward of Hana--what's-his-name, there, Admiral Bailey's place, I mean."
Two hours off shore under a press of canvas, and we went in stays, "looking" well up for the eastern point of the entrance to Hanaca-oa. The six-pounder was loaded with ball, and roused into the waist, the gangway-board unshipped, and a block and whip rigged at the fore-yardarm.
"What the devil is that for?" asked the cooper, of the second mate, who was superintending these operations.
"To make fools ask questions," returned the second mate, dryly. "There'll be another _yarn_ for you, cooper, when we get through the scrape."
"The yarn will be well _stretched_, whether the king's neck is or not," said Mr. Grafton, aside to me.
"Haul the mainsail up!" shouted the old man, as we drew in shore.
"We'll stand close in under the weather-point here, and luff to in full view of those devils on the beach there. Take that old traitor forward to the cat-head! Haul the foresail up, so the audience can all get their money's worth! I hope I sha'n't have to commit _regicide_," he added, in his low dry tone, "but I want to scare him _almost_ to death."
We hove to, so as to bring our starboard "battery" to bear fairly upon the landing-place. A plank was rigged out, the king was mounted upon it in full sight of his subjects, and the slip-noose adjusted round his neck. These operations produced a magical effect on shore; the savages could be seen running distractedly about the beach, and the air was vocal with wild yells. Presently a large party of them made a rush for the mat-covered object up in the cocoanut-grove.