him, and signed to Charcoal to
accompany them. But the old black seemed bewildered, and shook his
head, to signify that he could not move as fast as they could, and that
they must hurry on without him. In vain they urged him and showed him
that they would help him on.

"Come, old fellow, just you get up on my back, and I will carry you,"
exclaimed Reuben Cole, who was by far the strongest of the party.

Still the black refused--the whole party were in despair. It was high
time, indeed, to move away from the spot, not only to escape the
pirates, but to avoid the shot from the _Cerberus_, some of which,
passing over the schooner, had struck the ground very close to them.
One of the shot at length settled the dispute by flying along and
striking the poor old man on the shoulder, and very nearly taking off
Reuben's head at the same time. His moments were evidently numbered,
and to move him while seemingly in the agonies of death, would have been
cruelty. Devereux, therefore, reluctantly ordered his followers to run
for their lives, before they were discovered and pursued by the pirates.
It was doubtful, indeed, whether they had not already been seen. Paul,
as they came along, had observed a patch of rocky ground to the south
near the shore, with low shrubs growing about it. He pointed it out to
Devereux.

"Right, Gerrard, the very place for us; we'll steer towards it," he
answered.

By running on at full speed, they had just time to conceal themselves
among the rocks as the pirates reached the shore. Devereux had ordered
them all to lie down, so that they were unable to observe the direction
the outlaws took. O'Grady and Paul were crouching down close to each
other. Both felt a strong inclination to look out from their
hiding-place.

"I say, Gerrard, don't you think that you could manage, just with half
an eye above the rock, to see what the spalpeens of pirates are about
there?" whispered the former.

"Beg pardon, sir, but our orders were not to look out at all," answered
Paul, in a very low voice.

"Right, Gerrard, right; but by the powers, our fellows are a long time
getting on shore from the frigate," said O'Grady.

"Silence, lads!" whispered Devereux, who overheard them talking. "I
hear footsteps."

Sure enough, the tramp of men running fast was heard, and, it seemed,
coming in the direction of the rock. Probably the pirates were
hastening there for shelter. Paul was sure, as most likely were