now came creeping cautiously down, and whispered that the pirates
had not gone off as far as they had anticipated; indeed they were not
very far away even now. They had evidently not seen the fugitives leave
the water, but they were all standing in a group, looking back toward
the hiding-place, and, so far as Jake could judge, they seemed to be
listening. Bevan now crawled up and had a look, and then beckoned to
the rest. They climbed up alongside him, and, through the peep-hole,
saw that the pirates had now relaxed their attitude of attention, and
were once more walking slowly away, ever and anon taking a backward
glance over their shoulders. Presently they disappeared from sight
behind the rocks, and the fugitives breathed more freely.

Roger said: "If now they but go straight off to their ship we are saved.
I trust they will not chance to stumble upon any of our buried
provision-barrels, or they will at once suspect our presence and search
until they find us; for I can see that they are not altogether easy in
their minds over the strange disappearance of Gomez."

"I don't think that's so, Master Trevose," replied Bevan. "'Tis only
our fancy. For my part, I'm convinced that they believe Gomez have
fallen off the rocks and been taken by a shark. But how pale you do
look sir! better have a drop of brandy."

But, alas! there was no brandy. In their haste to escape from the jaws
of the sharks both brandy and their small store of food had been
dropped, and were both now, without doubt, safe in the maw of one of the
monsters. Roger turned still more pale, and Bevan put his arm round his
shoulder to support him. Presently his head fell back, and he went off
in a dead swoon. The experiences of the last few hours had been too
much for the poor lad, and overstrained nature would bear no more.

"He'll soon come round, Jake," said Bevan. "Get a drop of water, if you
can without being seen. Bring it in your hat and slop it on his face;
that'll soon bring him to."

Jake accepted the suggestion, and presently returned without having seen
anything of the pirates. They soused Roger's head and shoulders with
sea-water, and the boy soon recovered, feeling a little ashamed of his
weakness.

"Don't you worry yourself about that, Master Roger," replied Jake.
"I've seen men stronger and older than you faint for less than what
we've just gone through."

Roger was soon himself again. They took another look round, and thi