my companions
thought it would be better to leap from the cliffs and perish in the
waves at once, rather than await so miserable an end; but I had a plan
of escape which I now unfolded to them, and which they at once agreed to
attempt.

"Listen, my brothers," I added. "You know that plenty of driftwood lies
along the shore. Let us make several rafts, and carry them to a suitable
place. If our plot succeeds, we can wait patiently for the chance of
some passing ship which would rescue us from this fatal island. If it
fails, we must quickly take to our rafts; frail as they are, we have
more chance of saving our lives with them than we have if we remain
here."

All agreed with me, and we spent the day in building rafts, each capable
of carrying three persons. At nightfall we returned to the castle, and
very soon in came the giant, and one more of our number was sacrificed.
But the time of our vengeance was at hand! As soon as he had finished
his horrible repast he lay down to sleep as before, and when we heard
him begin to snore I, and nine of the boldest of my comrades, rose
softly, and took each a spit, which we made red-hot in the fire, and
then at a given signal we plunged it with one accord into the giant's
eye, completely blinding him. Uttering a terrible cry, he sprang to his
feet clutching in all directions to try to seize one of us, but we had
all fled different ways as soon as the deed was done, and thrown
ourselves flat upon the ground in corners where he was not likely to
touch us with his feet.

After a vain search he fumbled about till he found the door, and fled
out of it howling frightfully. As for us, when he was gone we made haste
to leave the fatal castle, and, stationing ourselves beside our rafts,
we waited to see what would happen. Our idea was that if, when the sun
rose, we saw nothing of the giant, and no longer heard his howls, which
still came faintly through the darkness, growing more and more distant,
we should conclude that he was dead, and that we might safely stay upon
the island and need not risk our lives upon the frail rafts. But alas!
morning light showed us our enemy approaching us, supported on either
hand by two giants nearly as large and fearful as himself, while a crowd
of others followed close upon their heels. Hesitating no longer we
clambered upon our rafts and rowed with all our might out to sea. The
giants, seeing their prey escaping them, seized up huge pieces of rock,
and w