on the
pirates' island in the year eighteen hundred and sixty-eight.

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

AN EXPLORATION AND AN ACCIDENT.

For the first few days of their stay on what they styled Pirate Island,
our castaways were too much taken up with the wondrous and varied
contents of the robbers' cave, and the information Meerta and Letta had
to give, to pay much regard to the island itself, or the prospect they
had of quitting it. But when their interest and curiosity began to
abate, and the excitement to decrease, they naturally bethought them of
the nature and resources of their now home.

Of course they did not for a moment regard it in the light of _home_.
It was merely a resting-place,--a refuge, where, after their escape from
the sea, they should spend a few weeks, perhaps months, until a passing
vessel should take them off. They did not know, at that time, that the
islet was far removed from the usual track of ships, and that, like the
Pitcairn Islanders, they might be doomed to spend many years, perchance
a lifetime, on it. Indeed, a considerable time elapsed before they
would admit to themselves that there was a possibility of such a fate,
although they knew, both from Meerta and Letta, that no ship of any
kind, save that of the pirates, had been seen for the last eighteen
months, and the few sails that did chance to appear, were merely seen
for a few hours like sea-gulls on the horizon, from which they arose and
into which they vanished.

Having then, as we have said, bethought them of examining the resources
and nature of the island, they one morning organised an expedition. By
that time the sailor, although by no means fit for it, insisted that he
was sufficiently restored to accompany them. Letta, who was active and
strong like a small gazelle, besides being acquainted with the whole
region, agreed to act as guide. Stumps, having sprained his ankle
slightly, remained at the cave, for the purpose, as he said, of helping
Meerta with the garden, but Jim Slagg gave him credit for laziness.

"You see," said Sam Shipton, as Letta led them down the rugged
mountain-side, "we may as well make ourselves comfortable while we
remain here, and I'm inclined to think that a hut, however rough, down
in one of these charming valleys, will be more agreeable than the gloomy
cavern on the mountain-top."

"Not so sure o' that, doctor," said Johnson; "the cave is at all events
dry, and a good stronghold in case of a visit