e sprang up, which rapidly dispelled the mist.

The _Speedy_ now appeared in full view, with a spring on her cable, her
head to the north, presenting her larboard side to the island. Just as
Harding had calculated, she was not more than a mile and a quarter from
the coast.

The sinister black flag floated from the peak.

The engineer, with his telescope, could see that the four guns on board
were pointed at the island. They were evidently ready to fire at a
moment's notice.

In the meanwhile the _Speedy_ remained silent. About thirty pirates
could be seen moving on the deck. A few were on the poop; two others
posted in the shrouds, and armed with spy-glasses, were attentively
surveying the island.

Certainly, Bob Harvey and his crew would not be able easily to give an
account of what had happened during the night on board the brig. Had
this half-naked man, who had forced the door of the powder-magazine, and
with whom they had struggled, who had six times discharged his revolver
at them, who had killed one and wounded two others, escaped their shot?
Had he been able to swim to shore? Whence did he come? What had been
his object? Had his design really been to blow up the brig, as Bob
Harvey had thought? All this must be confused enough to the convicts'
minds. But what they could no longer doubt was that the unknown island
before which the _Speedy_ had cast anchor was inhabited, and that there
was, perhaps, a numerous colony ready to defend it. And yet no one was
to be seen, neither on the shore, nor on the heights. The beach
appeared to be absolutely deserted. At any rate, there was no trace of
dwellings. Had the inhabitants fled into the interior? Thus probably
the pirate captain reasoned, and doubtless, like a prudent man, he
wished to reconnoitre the locality before he allowed his men to venture
there.

During an hour and a half, no indication of attack or landing could be
observed on board the brig. Evidently Bob Harvey was hesitating. Even
with his strongest telescopes he could not have perceived one of the
settlers crouched among the rocks. It was not even probable that his
attention had been awakened by the screen of green branches and creepers
hiding the windows of Granite House, and showing rather conspicuously on
the bare rock. Indeed, how could he imagine that a dwelling was
hollowed out, at that height, in the solid granite. From Claw Cape to
the Mandible Capes, in all the extent of