her sails--five or six miles off on the
other side of the island, and I thought you ought to know about her at
once."

"Thank you, Jacques; that is important. I was going to sail in the
morning, but we must not stir as long as she is in the neighborhood.
So this young fellow saved your life, did he?"

"That he did, captain; and it was the quickest thing you ever saw. I
was just lying down at full length when he caught sight of the snake.
There was no time to stop me; no time even to cry out. He just jumped
on a sudden and came down on the brute as it was on the point of
striking. Had he stopped for one quarter of a second I should have
been a dead man hours ago."

"That was a near escape indeed, Jacques. Are they pretty quiet there
on shore? I heard them shouting several times."

"They seem quarreling a bit, captain; but they are sure to do that
with all that liquor on hand."

"They won't come to much harm," the captain said. "I gave the
strictest orders that all weapons should be left behind before they
landed, and that any man carrying even a knife would have his leave
stopped during the rest of the cruise. Beside, the first mate is there
to look after them. I will go ashore myself at daybreak and take a
look round from the top of that hill. If that frigate is still
cruising about near the island it must be because they have got some
sort of an idea of the whereabouts of our hiding place. We must wait
till she moves away. It won't do to risk anything."

Upon the following morning the captain and Jacques, accompanied by
Ralph, landed. They passed close by the storehouse, and saw the men
still asleep round the extinguished fires. The captain called out the
storekeeper:

"You can serve out one pannikin of wine to each man," he said, "but no
more. They will want that to pull them together. Tell the first mate
to get them on board as soon as possible, and set them to work to tidy
up the ship and get everything ready for setting sail at a moment's
notice. Tell him an English frigate is reported as close to the
island. I am going up to look after her."

Two hours' steady walking took them to the top of the hill. There were
no signs of any vessel as far as they could see. The captain, who had
brought his glass with him, carefully examined every island in sight.
Presently he uttered an exclamation:

"There are three boats rowing together close under the cliffs there,"
he said, pointing to the nearest island. "No d