just when they were thinking of tumbling into their hammocks, and so
on, but using the utmost expedition all the same.

In a little over ten minutes from the time of their first being called,
the men, sixteen in number, stood in the large loft of the capstan-
house. Poole had brought with him the key of the arm-chest, and,
opening the case, he rapidly served out to every man a cutlass with its
belt and a pair of six-chambered revolvers, every one of which he had
himself fully loaded only the day before, in preparation for such an
emergency as the present. The chest was then relocked and left, it
being too heavy for them to carry away with them, to say nothing of the
suspicion which such an act would excite if witnessed, as it would
almost certainly be. But Poole slipped the key back into his pocket
again, knowing that the strength of the chest and the solidity of the
lock were such as to involve the expenditure of a considerable amount of
time in the breaking open; and every minute of detention suffered by the
pirates would now be almost worth a man's life to the escaping party.

"Now, lads," said Dickinson, "are yer all ready? Then march; down to
the beach we goes, and seizes the two whale-boats, eight of us to each
boat. But mind! there's to be no getting into the boats or shoving off
until the ladies and gentlemen from the hut's all here. Mayhap we shall
have to make a fight of it on the beach yet; so keep dry land under your
feet until you has orders contrariwise."

The men descended the ladder leading from the capstan-house loft, and
ranging themselves in a small compact body, two abreast, marched down to
the landing-place, being joined on their way by some half-dozen curious
idlers who had turned out to see what was in the wind. Dickinson was
most anxious to get rid of these unwelcome attendants, and did all he
could think of to persuade them to return to the house; but though quite
unsuspicious as yet, they were not to be persuaded; they preferred
rather to march alongside the other party, keeping up a constant fire of
such jests and witticisms as sailors are wont to indulge in.

Bob, from a secluded and shadowy corner, watched this party as long as
he could see them, and then began to look out for his own particular
friends. He had not long to wait; barely five minutes afterwards he saw
them also pass down on their way to the boats.

He allowed these a sufficient time to reach the boats, and then set