men
at the Goat's Pass, and that will compel us to lose time, too much of
which has been lost already."

Without reply, the lieutenant turned on his heel and gave the necessary
orders to hoist the additional sails, while the captain hastened on
deck, leaving Thorwald to finish his pipe in peace, and ruminate on the
suspicions which had been raised in his mind.

In less than half an hour the light wind which Gascoyne had predicted
came off the land, first in a series of what sailors term "cats' paws,"
and then in a steady breeze which lasted several hours, and caused the
vessel to slip rapidly through the still water. As he looked anxiously
over the bow, Captain Montague felt that he had placed himself
completely in the power of the suspected skipper of the _Foam_, for
coral reefs surrounded him on all sides, and many of them passed so
close to the ship's side that he expected every moment to feel the shock
that would wreck his vessel and his hopes at the same time. He blamed
himself for trusting a man whom he supposed he had such good reason to
doubt, but consoled himself by thrusting his hand into his bosom and
grasping the handle of a pistol, with which, in the event of the ship
striking, he had made up his mind to blow out Gascoyne's brains.

About an hour later the _Talisman_ was hove-to off the Goat's Pass, and
Ole Thorwald was landed with his party at the base of a cliff which rose
sheer up from the sea like a wall.

"Are we to go up there?" inquired Ole in a rueful tone of voice, as he
surveyed a narrow chasm to which Gascoyne guided him.

"That is the way. It's not so bad as it looks. When you get to the
top, follow the little path that leads along the cliffs northward, and
you will reach the brow of a hill from which the native village will be
visible. Descend and attack it at once, if you find men to fight with--
if not, take possession quietly. Mind you don't take the wrong turn; it
leads to places where a wild-cat would not venture even in daylight. If
you attend to what I have said, you can't go wrong. Good night. Shove
off."

The oars splashed in the sea at the word, and Gascoyne retained to the
ship, leaving Ole to lead his men up the Pass as he best might.

It seemed as if the pilot had resolved to make sure of the destruction
of the ship that night; for, not content with running her within a foot
or two of innumerable reefs, he at last steered in so close to the shore
that the beetling