ue from the cave.

"What think you, boys," said Sam suddenly, "shall we go round to the
harbour, surprise and kill the guard, seize the pirate-ship, up anchor
and leave these villains to enjoy themselves as best they may?"

"What! and leave Letta, not to mention Meerta and Bungo, behind us?
Never!"

"I forgot them for the moment," said Sam. "No, we can't do that."

As he spoke the noise of revelry became louder and degenerated into
sounds of angry disputation. Then several shots were heard, followed by
the clashing of steel and loud yells.

"Surely that was a female voice," said Robin, rising and rushing up the
steep path that led to the cavern, closely followed by his comrades.

They had not gone a hundred yards when they were arrested by hearing a
rustling in the bushes and the sound of hasty footsteps. Next instant
Letta was seen running towards them, with glaring eyes and streaming
hair. She sprang into Robin's arms with a convulsive sob, and hid her
white face on his breast.

"Speak, Letta, dear child! Are you hurt?"

"No, O no; but Meerta, darling Meerta, she is dead! They have shot her
and Bungo."

She burst again into convulsive sobbing.

"Dead! But are you sure--quite sure?" said Sam.

"Quite. I saw their brains scattered on the wall.--Oh, Meerta!--"

She ended in a low wail, as though her heart were broken.

"Now, boys," said Johnson, who had hitherto maintained silence, "we must
go to work an' try to cut out the pirate-ship. It's a good chance, and
it's our only one."

"Yes, there's nothing to prevent us trying it now," said Robin, sadly,
"and the sooner the better."

"Lucky that we made up the parcels last night, warn't it?" said Jim
Slagg as they made hasty arrangements for carrying out their plan.

Jim referred to parcels of rare and costly jewels which each of them had
selected from the pirate store, put into separate bags and hid away in
the woods, to be ready in case of any sudden occasion arising--such as
had now actually arisen--to quit the island. Going to the place where
these bags were concealed, they slung them over their shoulders and set
off at a steady run, or trot, for the harbour, each taking his turn in
carrying Letta, for the poor child was not fit to walk, much less to
run.

Stealthy though their movements were, however, they did not altogether
escape detection. Two bright eyes had been watching Letta during all
her wanderings that night, and two nimble feet