cealed.

The latter, in the face of this new move, determined to watch a few
minutes longer before revealing himself, and kept his eyes on the
crouching figure with the greatest interest. Was the man going to prove
friend or foe, rescuer or would-be assassin? Scarcely the latter, the
Englishman thought, for there seemed something strangely familiar in the
man's movements and in his whole appearance; and Frobisher experienced
the sensation of having met, or seen, this man somewhere before, though
under what circumstances he could not for the life of him recall. He
was something of the same build as Ling; but Ling, he knew, was dead,
for he had seen the man's body. Then, again, he might pass at a
distance for Quen-lung, the interpreter; but from what Frobisher had
already seen of that person, he did not for a moment believe that
Quen-lung was at all the kind of man to risk his skin on a midnight
excursion to a pirate stronghold.

Suddenly Frobisher's attention was disturbed by the sound of a very low
whistle, undoubtedly proceeding from the Chinaman. That whistle was
beyond question a signal of some sort, and was just as certainly
intended for himself. To hesitate longer would have been the height of
folly, for the longer the delay now, the greater would be the danger of
discovery; so, putting his fingers in his mouth, Frobisher replied with
another whistle in exactly the same key and tone as the Chinaman's. The
latter leapt to his feet, took a few steps backward, and looked up at
the window; but seeing nothing there, he proceeded to glance round him
anxiously.

Frobisher gave another low whistle, and, as the man now turned his head
in his direction, fluttered the white handkerchief. The Chinaman
instantly caught sight of the movement, and commenced to run toward the
prisoner, coming to a sudden standstill as he encountered the outer edge
of the carpet of broken glass. A low exclamation of "Phew!" escaped him
as he understood the meaning of the obstacle, followed by a subdued
execration in English; and on hearing this, Frobisher at once knew who
it was that was risking his life in an endeavour to save him. The man
was none other than Captain Drake!

How the little skipper had come to hear of his friend's predicament, and
how he had contrived to travel some three hundred miles in disguise
undetected, Frobisher could not guess. All he knew was that at last he
had again a stanch comrade by his side--one who wo