o going to the wall he put his feet on his
companion's shoulders, and climbing up he reached the beam, along which
he clambered, till he got hold of the crutches, and then he handed them
down to Alphonse, and fortunately without making any noise. The latter
was now anxious to find his fiddle, for it was nowhere to be seen. At
length, with almost a groan of despair, the young Frenchman pointed to
it. A pirate had appropriated the case for a pillow. Was he to leave
it? No!--he would perish first! Fortunately the man was among the most
drunken, and was sleeping heavily. They agreed by signs to withdraw it,
and to substitute something else. A bundle of flags had been overlooked
in a corner. It might serve their purpose yet. It was hazardous work.
Alphonse drew his dirk, which he had retained; but Paul implored him by
a look to put it up again.

"If he does awake, only say that you want your fiddle-case to play a
tune; he won't mind that," he whispered.

Paul went on one side, and gently lifted the pirate's head with one hand
while with the other he held the bundle of flags to shove under it as
Alphonse gently pulled away the case. All depended on the movement
being regular. A sudden jerk would have awakened the man, who was a
fierce-looking ruffian. One of his hands lay over the hilt of his
dagger, which he seemed capable of using with effect at a moment's
notice. The manoeuvre required great nerve and courage, scarcely to be
expected in such young lads. It was not found wanting in them. With
intense satisfaction Paul let the outlaw's head sink on the soft pillow.
The man uttered a few inarticulate sounds, but gave no other signs of
awaking. The boys held their breath, and for a minute dared not move
lest they should make any noise which might even at the last arouse the
man, or disturb any of the other sleepers. At last they crept silently
away, picking up Charcoal's crutches on the way, and made their escape
out of the hut. Darkness was coming on. It would have been well to
have had daylight to get clear of the island. As soon as they had got a
little distance from the hut, they set off running to overtake their
companions. Charcoal was as delighted to get back his wooden legs and
crutches as Alphonse was to recover his fiddle. They had to proceed
cautiously as they passed the sleepers, and still more so when they
entered the boat, lest the sound of an oar in the rowlock, or its splash
in the water