in' up again ther base o' ther cliffs on all but ther
seaward side o' ther lagoon. There wuz one indentation in the cliffs,
covered wi' trees an' bushes, inter which ther hull crew went an' hid.
Waal, sir, we landed thar, an' beat about lookin' fer 'em. Thar wuzn't
no possible way fer 'em ter git away unseen, with ther water in front,
them high cliffs surroundin' 'em on three sides, an' only a small plot
o' ground filled wi' trees an' bushes fer 'em to hide in. So yer see we
wuz sure o' catchin' 'em. Yet, when we'd sarched ther hull place not a
sign o' them wuz ter be found! They'd wanished as complete as if ther
arth had swallered 'em up. Now wuzn't that a worry mysterious
perceedin'?"

As Tim asked this, he refreshed himself with a chew of tobacco.

Jack did not reply.

He had his glance fixed upon the woods.

Taking it for granted that he had aroused the curiosity of the young
inventor to fever heat, Tim continued:

"Waal, sir, everybody wuz puzzled cept me. Wot had become o' them
lubbers wasn't werry plain. Howsome ever, when they gave up huntin' I
made up my mind as I'd locate ther fugitives. Goin' over ter ther cliff
I examined ther face of it, an' found a trap door. Openin' it, I entered
a cave. Thar they was, armed wi' rifles, pistols, cutlasses and knives,
an' ten o' them sprung ter thar door astarn o' me ter cut off my retreat
while ther rest aimed thar weapings at me. Did I run? No, sir. Wot did I
do? Stood. Wot happened then? Pointin' my finger at 'em I ses,
surrender yer swabs, or I'll blow yer brains out! All o' them wuz so
skeerd o' my threat they begged fer mercy. An' ther joke of it wuz, I
didn't hev no pistol neither. It wuz so dark in ther cave yer couldn't
see ther smellin' tackle on yer figger head, an in that gloom they
mistook my finger fer a gun. Waal, sir, in less'n two minutes I made
prisoners o' ther fifty men, an' marched them out ter my messmates in
triumph. Now how wuz that fer a bloodless wictory?"

And with a triumphant grin Tim turned to Jack.

The young inventor made no answer.

"He must be struck dumb with astonishment!" thought Tim.

Then he seized Jack by the arm and shook him.

"Say, my lad, how wuz that fer a wictory?" he asked.

"What victory?" asked Jack, rousing from a deep reverie.

"That one I jist told yer about, o' course."

"Did you tell us about something?"

"Of course I did. Didn't yer like ther yarn?"

"I didn't hear a word of it. I've been thinking."