Then came several shots from the canoes which filled the boys with surprise.
Among the natives of some parts of the Philippines fire-arrows, as they are termed, are of common use in warfare, and the Negritos were now making use of these. Each arrow sent toward the Central had attached to it a bundle of feathers saturated with pitch or with the highly aromatic turpentine of the Malaysian turpentine tree, and all blazing fiercely.
The arrows fell on the deck of the ship, on the superstructure, and caught in the rigging, and in a few minutes some of the well-tarred ropes on board were spurting up into a lively blaze. The fire brigade was called out and set to work, but the burning arrows kept coming in a shower, and several workers were hit with them. Then a cannon shot crashed into one of the canoes and sank it; but the novel bombardment of the Negritos continued.
"They are plucky, no use o' talking," was Si's comment. "Didn't really think they had the nerve."
"Look! look!" almost screamed Walter. "The ship is turning about! She is going to leave the bay!"
"Leave!" ejaculated Si. "Leave us! No! no!"
