the opposite tack, with her bows pointing toward the
island.

They were seen! At last they were seen! All their troubles and anxiety
and waiting were now over; hurrah! hurrah!! hurrah!!! The three
castaways seemed to lose their heads completely. They shouted, leaped
into the air, shook hands, and embraced each other, cutting all kinds of
capers, and, in short, behaving like very madmen in the reaction of
their joy after waiting for so long in suspense. For now all recognised
very clearly the truth of what Bevan had said, as to their being seen
and rescued now or never. The ship approached rapidly, under the
influence of the fresh breeze, seeming literally to grow out of the
water, and looking, with her clouds of gaily-painted canvas, like some
huge bright-plumaged tropic bird. Presently they saw her yards thrown
aback, and she came up into the wind, remaining hove-to until a boat was
lowered, and then slowly tacking to and fro opposite them. The watchers
on the beach saw the boat lowered down the side, and the men scramble
into her; then they saw the sunlight glitter on the oar-blades as they
dipped into the water and the boat shot away from the parent vessel's
side. She came rushing toward the beach as fast as the arms of a dozen
lusty men could drive her, her coxswain standing up in the stern-sheets
and peering eagerly ahead at the island. The foam curled white and high
about her stem, showing the great speed at which she was being forced
through the water.

Said Bevan to Jake: "The skipper have evidently give his orders that
they're not to waste any time on the road, or in takin' of us off. Just
look you at the speed of that there cutter! I expect, if we could only
but see him, that he's stampin' up and down his quarterdeck, bitin' his
nails with impatience to be away again a'ter that _Black Pearl_; and
prob'ly swearin' at this boat's crew for bein' a set of lazy lubbers in
not puttin' her through the water faster." And he laughed.

A sudden thought struck Roger. "Jake and Bevan," said he, "cut away up
to the hut and get those fresh provisions down here to the beach; we
have a lot of fresh meat still left, and I know how tired a ship's
company gets of salt provisions. That turtle meat will prove a very
welcome change of food for them. So away you go, and look sharp, for
those people will not want to be kept waiting."

Off went the two men, and presently returned with the dried turtle
flesh, which