jected to
this, so I was landed and cast loose."

"But what of Alice?" cried Mr Mason, anxiously. "How can we save her?"

"By taking my advice," answered Gascoyne. "You have a small cutter at
anchor off the creek at the foot of the hill. Put a few trusty men
aboard of her, and I will guide you to the island where the _Avenger_
has been wont to fly when hard pressed."

"But how do you know that Manton will go there?" inquired Henry,
eagerly.

"Because he is short of powder, and all our stores are concealed there,
besides much of our ill-gotten wealth."

"And how can you expect us to put ourselves so completely in your
power?" said Mr Mason.

"Because you _must_ do so if you would save your child. She is safe
now, I know, and will be until the _Avenger_ leaves the island where our
stores are concealed. If we do not save her before that happens, _she
is lost to you for ever_!"

"That no man can say. She is in the hands of God," cried Mr Mason,
fervently.

"True, true," said Gascoyne, musing. "But God does not work by
miracles. We must be up and doing at once. I promise you that I shall
be faithful, and that, after the work is done, I will give myself up to
justice."

"May we trust him, mother?" said Henry.

"You may trust him, my son," replied the widow, in a tone of decision
that satisfied Henry, while it called forth a look of gratitude from the
pirate.

The party now proceeded to arrange the details of their plan for the
rescue of Alice and her companions. These were speedily settled, and
Henry rose to go and put them in train. He turned the key of the door
and was on the point of lifting the latch, when this was done for him by
some one on the outside. He had just time to step back when the door
flew open, and he stood face to face with Hugh Barnes the cooper.

"Have you heard the news, Henry?--hallo!"

This abrupt exclamation was caused by the sight of Gascoyne, who rose
quietly the moment he heard the door open, and, turning his back towards
it, walked slowly into a small apartment that opened off the widow's
parlour, and shut the door.

"I say, Henry, who's that big fellow?" said the cooper, casting a
suspicious glance towards the little room into which he had disappeared.

"He is a _friend_ of mine," replied Mrs Stuart, rising hastily, and
welcoming her visitor.

"Humph! it's well he's a _friend_," said the man as he took a chair, "I
shouldn't like to have him for an enemy."

"Bu