y silent, for the Spaniard
was obviously the master-spirit of the unprepossessing gang. Even
Montes, cruel and greedy as he was, yielded him the palm of superiority
in matters of this sort.

Having finished their hastily-prepared meal, Turpie acting both as cook
and steward, they cut down several of the largest of the palm trees that
grew in the vicinity, and began shaping them into rollers ready for
getting the schooner afloat.

Frank was a frightened but very attentive watcher of all they did. Not
till he saw them repair to their boat for the night did he venture to
snatch a mouthful to eat.

Every word of their conversation, while seated under the plantain tree,
he had heard, and the recollection of it, and the near proximity of such
dangerous neighbors, prevented him from closing his eyes the live-long
night.

By the first peep of day the wreckers were astir, and so was Frank--that
is, he had taken up his station at the loophole, determined to let
nothing escape him in relation to their plans and purposes.

As soon as the tide was out, they began shoveling away the sand that had
collected around the schooner's bow, the four of them working like
beavers till there was space made sufficient to allow of placing the
rollers under her, and, by this means, gradually extricating her from
the imprisoning sands. They were still working when the tide was up to
their knees and lapping high on the beach.

"Hurrah! There she goes!"

The shout startled Frank, and, with a sick heart and quivering lips, he
saw the Sea Eagle slowly turn broadside toward the sea, and then fall
off into deep water. The staunch old schooner was afloat once more, as
sound as the day she was launched.

The pilot-boat was brought alongside and made fast, then they bent on
all the sail they could muster, and, as the hastily-rigged canvas caught
the wind, Sagasta waved his sailor-cap and exultantly exclaimed:

"Here's to Captain Thorne, a hundred fathoms below soundings; and here's
to the Sea Eagle and her new commander!"

All repeated Sagasta's shout with a hearty good will, for they were now
fairly under way--the Spaniard, Chris and the mulatto remaining on the
schooner, and Montes alone managing the pilot-boat.

Frank never took his eyes off the vessels, which kept close company,
till both were nearly out of sight. Then he removed the stone, crept
through the opening, and ran to the spot where only the ashes of the
wreckers' fire were to be