; that would
be worse than downright murder."

"There's no knowing what they'll do," answered George evasively.

"Old Lewis will remain our friend," I replied. "I'm sure he'll not
stand by and allow us to come to harm."

"But what's he to do by himself, one to nine?" was the reply. "These
are desperate men, and prepared for desperate measures. We're about as
safe here, Master Eden, as if we were in a den of tigers."

"But Lewis can say, as he did before, that he won't help them if harm
comes to us," I persisted, unwilling to abandon this sheet anchor of
hope.

"He may say that once too often," muttered George. "You must remember,
too, that the man's walking the greasy pole himself, so to speak, and
one slip sends him down into transportation for life; for I don't doubt
but what they'd all get that after this attempted escape and making
away with the coach."

As one or two of the convicts seemed to be eyeing us, we ceased our
conversation with a forced laugh; and rising, I strolled over towards
Lewis, who stood at the edge of the platform with arms folded, gazing
towards the mouth of the cave. If not then low water, the tide could
not long have turned, and the ledge seemed considerably higher above
the sea than it had done when we had first landed from the boat.

"What's the matter?" I asked, seeing how the old sailor's heavy brows
were contracted in thought.

"There's a good bit may be the matter, Master Eden, before this gang of
lubbers steps ashore in France," he answered. "I've been as far as the
mouth of the cave this morning in the boat, and I don't altogether like
the look of the sea: there's a swell getting up which may mean wind
behind it. If so, these blokes may find this cave as difficult a place
to get out of as Welmington Jail."

Now that he called my attention to it, I noticed that there was
certainly a constant ripple whispering down the length of the cave.
The boat rocked gently at her mooring, and at the sight of her a sudden
foreboding of evil entered my mind.

"You don't think it's going to be rough enough to wash us off this
rock?" I asked anxiously.

"I doubt if that would happen unless it came on to blow a regular
gale," he answered. "You see, the mouth of the cave is only a narrow
opening, and, especially at high water, the seas would spend most of
their force outside; still, as I've warned these men here, if once a
big storm did get up, not a mother's son of them is ever like