st all crawl towards the edge of the forest," Will said, "and
then, instead of going straight down the hill we will turn off for a short
distance. They are sure to miss us immediately, and will believe that we
have made direct for the sea."

They had barely got into the shelter of the forest when they heard a
sudden shout, so they at once turned aside and hid in the brushwood. A
minute or two later they had the satisfaction of hearing the negroes
rushing in a body down the hill. They waited until their pursuers had
covered a hundred yards, and then they jumped to their feet and held on
their way along the hillside for nearly a quarter of a mile, after which
they began to descend. Just as they changed their course they heard an
outburst of musketry fire.

"Hooray!" Dimchurch exclaimed, "our fellows are coming up the hill in
search of us. That's right, give it them hot! I guess they'll go back as
quick as they came." They now changed their direction, taking a line that
would bring them to the rear of their friends. The firing soon ceased, the
negroes having evidently got entirely out of sight of the sailors, but by
the shouting they had no difficulty in ascertaining the position of the
party, who were pushing on up the hill, and presently Will hailed them.

"That is the captain's voice," one of the party exclaimed, and then a
general cheer broke from the seamen. In another two minutes they were
among their friends. Harman had landed with three-and-thirty men, leaving
only five on board _L'Agile_. Great was their rejoicing on finding that
the three missing men were all safe.

"We had better fall back now," Will said. "There must be at least three
hundred negroes at the top, and though I don't say we would not beat them
we should certainly suffer some loss which might well be avoided. There is
no doubt they took us for pirates and believed they were going to avenge
their own wrongs. So we may as well make our way down before their whole
force gathers and attacks us."

They retired at once to the shore, and had but just taken their places in
the boats when a crowd of negroes rushed down to the beach. Four or five
shots were fired, but by Will's order no reply was made. They pushed off
quietly and in a few minutes reached the cutter.

"That has been a narrow escape," Will said when he and Harman were
together again on the quarter-deck; "as narrow as I ever wish to
experience. If it hadn't been for Dimchurch I don't think