But finding the multiplication table of no avail, I
summoned up a grayish image of chaos in a sort of sliding fluidity,
and was just falling into a nap on the strength of it, when I heard a
solitary and distinct buzz. The hour of my calamity was at hand. One
blended hum, the creature darted into the canoe like a small
swordfish; and I out of it.
Upon getting into the open air, to my surprise, there was Long Ghost,
fanning himself wildly with an old paddle. He had just made a
noiseless escape from a swarm which had attacked his own end of the
canoe.
It was now proposed to try the water; so a small fishing canoe, hauled
up near by, was quickly launched; and paddling a good distance off,
we dropped overboard the native contrivance for an anchor - a heavy
stone, attached to a cable of braided bark. At this part of the
island the encircling reef was close to the shore, leaving the water
within smooth, and extremely shallow.
It was a blessed thought! We knew nothing till sunrise, when the
motion of our aquatic cot awakened us. I looked up, and beheld Zeke
wading toward the shore, and towing us after him by the bark cable.
Pointing to the reef, he told us we had had a narrow escape.
