ttle did they know that Otto was one of the party! Our little hero,
being sharp eyed and eared, had seen and overheard enough in the camp
that day to induce him to watch Morris after he left the cave, and
follow him to the rendezvous.

"My lads," said Morris, "I've done my best to keep them to the reef, but
that blackguard Malines won't hear of it. He's bent on takin' 'em all
to the big island, so they're sure to go, and we won't get the help o'
the other men: but no matter; wi' blocks an' tackle we'll do it
ourselves, so we can afford to remain quiet till our opportunity comes.
I'm quite sure the ship lays in such a position that we can get her over
the ledge into deep water, and so be able to draw round into the open
sea, and then--"

"Hurrah for the black flag and the southern seas," cried one of the
party.

"No, no, Jabez Jenkins," said Morris, "we don't mean to be pirates; only
free rovers."

"Hallo! what's this?" exclaimed another of the party. "A cross, I do
believe! and this mound--why, it's a grave!"

"And here's another one!" said Jabez, in a hoarse whisper. "Seems to me
we've got into a cannibal churchyard, or--"

"Bo-o-o-o-oo!" groaned Otto at that moment, in the most horribly
sepulchral tone he could command.

Nothing more was wanted. With one consent the conspirators leapt up and
fled from the dreadful spot in a frenzy of unutterable consternation.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

TREATS OF BIG ISLAND--A GREAT FIGHT AND A ROYAL FAMILY.

"Dominick," said Otto, next morning, after having solemnly and somewhat
mysteriously led his brother to the old burial-ground, "would you
believe me if I told you that last night, when you and the like of you
were sound asleep, not to say snoring, I saw some twenty or thirty men
fly from this spot like maniacs at the howling of a ghost?"

"No, I would not believe you," answered Dominick, with a bland smile.

"Would you not believe me if I told you that _I_ was the ghost and that
Hugh Morris was the ringleader of the cowards?"

"Come, Otto, be sensible and explain."

Otto became sensible and explained. Thereupon Dominick became serious,
and said "Oho!" To which Otto replied "Just so," after which they
became meditative. Then Dominick linked his arm in that of his little
brother, and, leading him off to a well-known and sequestered walk,
entered into an earnest confabulation.

With the details of that confabulation we will not trouble the reader.
We will only r