arse voice--

"The black flag!" he exclaimed.

And indeed the sombre bunting was floating from the mast of the brig,
and they had now good reason for considering her to be a suspicious
vessel!

Had the engineer, then, been right in his presentiments? Was this a
pirate vessel? Did she scour the Pacific, competing with the Malay
proas which still infest it? For what had she come to look at the
shores of Lincoln Island? Was it to them an unknown island, ready to
become a magazine for stolen cargoes? Had she come to find on the coast
a sheltered port for the winter months? Was the settler's honest domain
destined to be transformed into an infamous refuge--the headquarters of
the piracy of the Pacific?

All these ideas instinctively presented themselves to the colonists'
imaginations. There was no doubt, besides, of the signification which
must be attached to the colour of the hoisted flag. It was that of
pirates! It was that which the _Duncan_ would have carried, had the
convicts succeeded in their criminal design! No time was lost before
discussing it.

"My friends," said Cyrus Harding, "perhaps this vessel only wishes to
survey the coast of the island. Perhaps her crew will not land. There
is a chance of it. However that may be, we ought to do everything we
can to hide our presence here. The windmill on Prospect Heights is too
easily seen. Let Ayrton and Neb go and take down the sails. We must
also conceal the windows of Granite House with thick branches. All the
fires must be extinguished, so that nothing may betray the presence of
men on the island."

"And our vessel?" said Herbert.

"Oh," answered Pencroft, "she is sheltered in Port Balloon, and I defy
any of those rascals there to find her!"

The engineer's orders were immediately executed. Neb and Ayrton
ascended the plateau, and took the necessary precautions to conceal any
indication of a settlement. Whilst they were thus occupied, their
companions went to the border of Jacamar Wood, and brought back a large
quantity of branches and creepers, which would at some distance appear
as natural foliage, and thus disguise the windows in the granite cliff.
At the same time, the ammunition and guns were placed ready so as to be
at hand in case of an unexpected attack.

When all these precautions had been taken--

"My friends," said Harding, and his voice betrayed some emotion, "if
these wretches endeavour to seize Lincoln Island, we shall def