ht that they know, Evans might have taken two red
shirts ashore with him in his chest when he was marooned. No, it
matters not if the flag has been seen. But come along, men; every
moment lost now only increases our danger."

They forthwith set to work in grim earnest, labouring for their lives.
The casks were rolled out of the store, and holes were scooped in the
sand for their reception. To bury them was not a long job. They took
care, however, to set aside some provisions and water for their use
while in hiding. Next came the job of burying their simple utensils,
such as they were, and also the shell of the turtle. Then there was the
gruesome task of digging up the body of poor Evans. It had to be done,
and the sooner the better, as Roger said; so all three went to the
unpleasant duty. The mound of sand was removed, the tilling taken out,
and they presently came upon the body. The sand was brushed from the
hair and clothing of the corpse, and it was then carried to the hut,
placed in its previous position, and covered with the blanket in which
it had been buried.

This completed their preparations for the pirates' landing--for it was
certain that they would land; otherwise why should they have returned to
the island? Their work had lasted longer than they thought, and away to
the east the first sign of dawn was apparent by the time they had
finished. They knew the marvellous rapidity with which the day comes
and goes in those regions, and recognised the need for haste if they
were to gain their proposed place of concealment unperceived; for there
would certainly be sharp eyes on board the pirate, looking for the first
sign of the marooned man. They therefore took, each man, his share of
the provisions, and, keeping carefully below the concealing top of the
sand-bank, started to run at their utmost speed for the ledge of rocks
which was to be their refuge.

Meanwhile daylight was coming with terrible rapidity. The shore
extremity of the ledge of rocks was reached after what seemed an
eternity, and they began their passage out along it as fast as they
could go. It was dangerous going among the rocks, but danger, frightful
danger, spurred them on. Looking seaward they could make out the hull
of the pirate vessel quite distinctly, and they all prayed that they
might not be so easily perceived. At last they reached the hollow among
the rocks, which was to be their haven of refuge, and tumbled over one
a