It was indispensable to come to some speedy decision.  Peters was now happy and contented with his nice little Peggy, and there was no longer any necessity for pursuing the voyage on his account.  As for the project of placing the hogs on Rancocus, this was certainly not the time to do it, even if it were now to be done at all; we say ‘now,’ since the visits of the savages would make any species of property on that island, from this time henceforth, very insecure.  It was therefore determined to abandon the voyage, and to shape their course back to the Peak, with as little delay as possible.  As there were indications of shell-fish, sea-weed, &c., being thrown ashore at the Volcano, two of the hogs were put ashore there to seek their fortunes.  According to the new plan, the Neshamony made sail on her return passage, about an hour before the sun set.  As was usual in that strait, the trades blew pretty fresh, and the boat, although it had the canoe of Unus in tow, came under the frowning cliffs some time before the day reappeared.  By the time the sun rose, the Neshamony was off the cove, into which she hastened with the least possible delay.  It was the governor’s apprehension that his sails might be seen from the canoes of Waally, long before the canoes could be seen from his boat, and he was glad to get within the cover of his little haven.  Once there, the different crafts were quite concealed from the view of persons outside, and it now remained to be proved whether their cover was not so complete as effectually to baffle a hostile attempt to find it.

The quick and unexpected return of the Neshamony produced a great deal of surprise on the Plain.  She had not been seen to enter the cove, and the first intimation any one in the settlement had of such an occurrence, was the appearance of Mark before the door of the dwelling.  Bigelow was immediately sent to the Peak with a glass, to look out for canoes, while Heaton was called in from the woods by means of a conch.  In twenty minutes the council was regularly in session, while the men began to collect and to look to their arms.  Peters and Jones were ordered to go down to the magazine, procure cartridges, and then proceed to the batteries and load the carronades.  In a word, orders were given to make all the arrangements necessary for the occasion.

It was not long ere a report came down from Bigelow.  It was brought by his Spanish wife, who had accompanied her husband to the Peak, and who came running in, half breathless, to say that the ocean was covered with canoes and catamarans; a fleet of which was paddling directly for the island, being already within three leagues of it.  Although this intelligence was expected, it certainly caused long faces and a deep gloom to pervade that little community.  Mark’s fears were always for the Reef, where there happened to be no one just at that moment but the black women, who-were altogether insufficient to defend it, under the most favourable circumstances, but who were now