possible provision for a lengthy
stay where they were, should such prove to be necessary. That Cavendish
would never abandon them they knew, but it was easy to think of a dozen
circumstances or accidents to defer his search for them indefinitely.

Roger and the two seamen rolled up a few of the casks to the door of the
little shelter, and, all feeling very hungry, they determined to broach
one of them, as they judged from their appearance that they were
provision-casks. They first glanced at the marooned man, to see if he
had yet awakened from the slumber into which he had so suddenly fallen,
but he was lying in his former position, breathing very heavily, and he
had evidently not moved since they left him. Roger remarked to the two
seamen: "I fear that poor fellow will not live much longer; he says he
is exhausted by exposure and privation, and, looking at him, I can
easily believe it. I hope he will live long enough to be taken on board
the ships, and so be able to tell his story in his own words to the
captain; but unless the squadron appear very soon it will be too late,
for I am afraid a few days will see the last of him!" Then, as there
seemed no fear of rousing him, they went into the shelter to look for
themselves and see how much provision he had left. They found it
without difficulty. There was only about three pounds of ships'-biscuit
left, and two or three strips of dried meat. This was absolutely all
the food that was left, and had it not been for the wreck, and the casks
of provisions being washed ashore, their position would have been very
serious indeed. Jake Irwin had been searching for some cooking utensil,
or some article which could be used as such, and presently appeared with
an iron three-legged pot, which was the only thing in the small
establishment that would serve their purpose. Meanwhile Roger and
Walter Bevan had secured the ex-pirate's only axe, and were busily
engaged in removing the head of one of the casks which they had rolled
up opposite to the little shelter. The top presently came away, and
they saw, disclosed before their longing and hungry eyes, not the
provisions they so much needed, but a hard and rocky mass of caked
gunpowder, made useless and solid by the action of the sea-water that
had penetrated through the crevices of the cask.

"God help us!" exclaimed Roger. "If all these casks hold nothing but
powder, we shall slowly starve to death. I hoped they would all be