sails. There are the stores of every kind also to be got on board--
in short, I should like to have the craft in a state of readiness to go
to sea directly she leaves the stocks. But I really don't see how it is
to be managed; we shall never be able to do a quarter of what we want
without arousing Ralli's suspicions."

"Oh, bless you, sir! yes, you will," said Dickinson confidently.
"Ralli's taken a mortal dislike to you all, and 'specially to Mr
Evelin,--sorry I am to say so,--and he just _hates_ to be dictated to.
Now, whatever you want, just let Mr Evelin tell him he ought to do the
opposite of it, and, take my word for it, he'll just go and do exactly
what he thinks you don't want him to; he'll do it out of sheer
contrariness. But, whether or no, now that we knows what's wanted, we--
that's me and my mates--we'll do as much of it as we can, and you'll
have to manage Ralli so's to get the rest."

"Very well, Dickinson," said the skipper, "we understand each other
fully now, so I will not detain you any longer. Do what you can to
forward the plan, and let us know from time to time what success you are
meeting with."

"All right, sir, I will; thank'ee, sir. Good-night, ladies and
gentlemen all."

And Dickinson, taking the hint, retired.

The gentlemen sat for an hour or two after that, talking over matters as
they smoked their pipes, and then Captain Staunton, Lance, and Bowles
rose and left the cottage to pay a visit to the cavern.

In due time they reached the place, proceeding at once to the chasm,
where they forthwith commenced a vigorous but unsuccessful search for
the origin of the mysterious sounds which had disturbed the ladies.
Finding nothing, they began their task of conveying the gold collected
that day across to the heap on the other side of the gulf. This heap
was now assuming goodly proportions. There was more of it than an
ordinary ship's boat could take at a single trip, even in the calmest of
weather; and Lance was in the act of remarking to Captain Staunton that
he thought enough had now been collected to satisfy their every want,
when a weird, unearthly moan smote upon their ears from the depths of
the abyss. The sound, though not particularly loud, was so startling,
echoing and reverberating, as it did, among the cavernous recesses far
below, that the work was brought to a sudden standstill, and the three
bewildered men felt their hair bristling as they listened.

"_What_, in Heave