huffled out of the boat
on to the stage, and then ran up to the cottage doorway, where he
hesitated for a few moments before entering cautiously on tiptoe.

"See that, sir?" whispered Tom May. "He knows all about them pisonous
sarpents."

At the end of a few minutes, during which the midshipman and his
follower caught a glimpse or two of the black as he hurried from room to
room and evidently made a thorough examination of the place, the man
reappeared, with the broad eager grin his countenance had worn entirely
gone, to give place to a look of concern and scare. It seemed to Murray
that the black's face no longer shone but looked dull and ashy, as if he
had been startled, and his voice sank to a whisper as he crept up close
to the young midshipman and whispered--

"Massa Allen gone!"

"Well, I told you so," said Murray sharply. "Where has he gone?"

The black raised one hand to his lips, upon which he pressed all his
fingers together, while he looked behind him and then all about as if to
see if any one could hear his words--words which he seemed afraid to
utter.

"Well, did you hear what I said? Where has he gone?"

The black shook his head violently.

"There, Tom, your idea is worth nothing," said Murray sadly.

"I warn't sure, sir, of course," said the man, "but still I couldn't
help thinking he might have come back, 'specially as the darkie here was
so cock-sure. Hallo! What's he up to now?" continued the sailor. "Hi!
Stop him, my lads!"

For the black had suddenly made a dash for his boat, and sprung from the
stage into his place.

Murray's first thought was that the black was about to escape with his
companions, but directly after he saw the cause of the man's scare, for
there was the quick, steady chop, chop of oars, and the youth's heart
sank with a feeling of despair, for the bows of the _Seafowl's_ second
cutter suddenly came into sight, with her crew pulling hard, and there
in the stern sat the man, after the captain, whom he least desired to
see, and close by him, sitting up smart and consequential to a degree,
and seeming to fix his eyes at once keenly upon those of his brother
midshipman, was Roberts, looking as if he divined that something was
wrong.

"And ready to jump upon me," said Murray to himself. "Oh, how am I to
begin?" he thought. "I wish I was anywhere out of this!"

But the first lieutenant did not wait for the lad to begin; he opened
the ball himself.

"Well, Mr Mu