ed in the light of the moon, which had arisen during my
sleep, as the terrible Reginald Bendbrisket himself, clothed in a deep
black bathing-suit. I crouched down, not daring to move a muscle, and
was presently relieved to see him, after standing for some time on the
steps of the machine, amble carefully over the stones to the edge of the
sea, into which he plunged.

'Now it was that an idea suddenly occurred to me, and I instantly crept
from my place of concealment, and stealing up to the landward door of
the machine nailed it fast with the hammer and nails I always carried
with me to mend my drum, which was not infrequently broken beneath my
enthusiastic blows. Having secured the front door, I now crept in at
the back and, doffing my own clothes, soon donned those of the
unconscious filibuster, who was still floundering about in the sea.
Having effected this change, I crept back to my former position under
the machine, and had barely made myself comfortable there when I saw the
rogue returning.

'After scrambling painfully over the stony beach he mounted the steps
and entered the machine, and the slam of the door as it closed upon him
was the signal for me to rush out and secure this as I had already
secured the front door. Having done this, I waited no longer, but made
off with all possible speed in the direction of the enemy's camp, which
I had nearly reached, when I heard a most terrible banging from the
interior of the now distant bathing-machine. Losing no time, I entered
the camp, and, being easily mistaken for their captain, passed on
unchallenged.

'Arriving in time at the centre of the camp, I found all the men
gathered together, having forsaken their revels, evidently in
expectation of the return of their leader.

[Illustration: IN EXPECTATION OF THEIR LEADER]

'Standing before the villainous crew, I assumed, as nearly as I could,
the mien and rough harsh voice of their filibustering captain, and
ordered them to embark at once and to leave the island, as it had been
reinforced during the night by such a mass of thundering artillery as
would be impossible to withstand, and that they were even now fast
approaching along the beach from the other end of the island where they
had landed. The men, on hearing this appeared quite incredulous and
their growls of disbelief grew louder and louder and threatened a
terrible mutiny. Having at length gained a hearing, I invited them all
to that part of the camp by wh