top of the cliff just above where the schooner is anchored. If
she is lying there he is to light a fire a short distance back from
the edge of the cliff. There should be another man on the top of the
hill. When he sees the fire he shall show a lantern three times. We
will return the signal to let him know that we see it. If the schooner
goes away early in the evening the lookout is not to light the fire
until he sees her returning, at whatever hour it may be. The moment we
see the light we will set sail.'

"But how about the two signallers?" one of the other captains said.
"They would be left behind and might not get the chance of rejoining
us again."

"I have thought of that too," Captain Vipon, said. "I have an English
lad on board whom I picked up in the channel. He is a smart lad, and
has been working as one of the crew. He would of course be glad to
stay behind, because it will give him the chance of rejoining his
friends."

"That would do capitally. But how about the other man? You see, if he
showed himself he would be made prisoner and sent to England; if he
didn't show himself he might be on this island for years before he got
a chance of joining a French ship. It would need a high bribe to
induce anybody to run such a risk as that."

This was so evident that there was silence for two or three minutes,
then Captain Vipon spoke again. "I have a man who would be more likely
to do it than any one else I think, because he has taken a strong
fancy to this young English boy. He is a good hand, and I don't like
losing him; still the thing is so important that I should not hesitate
at that. Still we must offer him something good to run the risk, or
rather the certainty of imprisonment. I propose that his name shall be
put down on the books of all three ships, so that if he ever gets back
to France again he will have a fair certainty of a good lot of prize
money, for it will be hard luck if two out of the three of us do not
manage to get back safely." The other captains agreed to this.

"He will be here in half an hour," Captain Vipon said. "The men were
sitting down to a meal when I came away, and I ordered them to make
their way back as soon as they had done. If he refuses, the only other
way I can see will be for all the men to cast lots, when, of course,
whoever stays would get his three shares as we agreed."

Half an hour later the twenty men arrived from the other side of the
island. As soon as they came on