Smith sailed away eastward, disappearing from their sight.  He had made a quick mental calculation of the extent of the clearing.  Rising to the height of about three hundred feet above the ground, while still out of sight he suddenly stopped the engine and warped the planes for a dive.  The aeroplane descended rapidly, grazed the tops of the trees, and then, more slowly, swept, silently, in a gentle curve towards the throng of men, who were chattering about the mysterious sky visitor.  When they caught sight of it they were struck dumb, and for a few moments seemed to be fixed to the ground with amazement.  Then, as it came directly towards them, and Smith set the noisy propellers in motion, they uttered shrieks of dismay and terror, and fled like hares into the forest.

Some of them started too late.  Smith, being now near the ground, set the engine going at low speed, overtook a group of the islanders before they reached shelter, and with a touch of the aeroplane flung them violently on their faces.  He then wheeled round, and rose once more into the air in order to effect a complete descent.  The prostrate natives lay for some time in a paralysis of fear; but finding that they were unhurt, and that the monster had withdrawn from them, they picked themselves up, and ran to overtake their friends, leaving the space clear.

In another minute Smith had brought the aeroplane safely to the ground.  Rodier and he sprang out and ran towards the bound figures.

“It’s Charley!” called a voice, in tones wherein surprise and joy were blended.

And then the sailormen, famished and feeble as they were, broke forth in hoarse cheers and incoherent shouts, which died away in sobs.

CHAPTER XIV

SIR MATTHEW IMPROVES THE OCCASION

To cut the bonds of the prisoners was the work of only a few moments.  The sailors, the instant they were free, made a rush upon the villagers’ cooking-pots, their passion for food overcoming curiosity, gratitude, and all other sentiments.  Dr. Smith gripped his son’s hand, his emotion being too great for words.  Tom slapped his brother on the back.  Lieutenant Underhill was divided between his eagerness to learn all the circumstances of this strange intervention and his anxiety to prevent his men from getting out of hand.  But a glance at them as they made free with the natives’ provisions relieved him on this score, and when Smith explained that he had on board the aeroplane certain delectables in the shape of chicken patties (becoming rather stale), doughnuts, plumcake, a bottle of Australian burgundy, and sundry other remnants of the provisions furnished by the hospitable folk of Palmerston, he voted an immediate adjournment for lunch, and the officers, with the Smiths, were soon satisfying their clamant hunger.

“How in the world did you know about us?” asked Tom.

“By cable from Brisbane.”