time to witness the
hasty departure of the proa. He seized this, the first opportunity
which had presented itself, to heartily thank his companions for their
gallant rescue of himself and his child, inquired anxiously after the
safety and welfare of the little Lucille, and then said:

"I have been wondering what can be the meaning of that firing in the
offing. I cannot help thinking it is intended as a signal of some kind
to _us_, and, assuming that to be the case, I can only account for it
upon the pleasant supposition that Captain Blyth, instead of perishing
in the hurricane as we feared, must have in some miraculous manner
escaped; and that it is he who is now outside, on board a rescue ship,
come to take us all off the island. I think it would be well if you,
Manners, were to take the punt, and, with Nicholls, go out as far as the
harbour's mouth to reconnoitre, taking care not to show yourselves until
you are quite certain that the craft is a friendly one."

The two men named eagerly adopted the suggestion, and a minute later
were afloat and pulling rapidly down stream. As soon as they were
fairly off Gaunt turned to Henderson and said:

"And now, my dear fellow, I think I will walk as far as the fort to
exchange a word or two with Ida, and assure them all of our safety; and
then I will rejoin you here to await the tidings from outside."

Meanwhile Manners and Nicholls, pushing off into the strength of the
current, sped rapidly toward the two headlands which guarded the
harbour's mouth; arriving at which they landed, hauled the punt up on
the beach, and made their way through the bushes to a point from which,
themselves unseen, they could get a clear view of the open sea outside.

And then what an exhilarating sight met their delighted eyes. A large
full-rigged ship lay in the offing, about a mile distant, hove-to under
her three topsails, spanker, and jib. At first they took her for a
corvette, her gear being all fitted in regular man-o'-war fashion; but
this mistake was instantly corrected upon their noticing that she flew
the _red_ ensign from her gaff, in addition to which she showed a burgee
with a long name on it at her main-royal mast-head, and the _pilot-jack_
at the fore. By the greatest good luck Manners happened to have in his
pocket a small telescope which he had a trick of always carrying about
with him, and this he quickly brought to bear upon the stranger.
Watching him eagerly, Nicholls o