bushes, carried away
several cocoa-nut trees in its passage, and burst in atoms against the
cliff a few yards below the spot on which we stood.

With feelings of terror we now observed that the flag at the schooner's
peak was black, with a Death's head and cross bones upon it. As we gazed
at each other in blank amazement, the word "pirate" escaped our lips
simultaneously.

"What is to be done?" cried Peterkin, as we observed a boat shoot from
the vessel's side, and make for the entrance of the reef. "If they take
us off the island, it will either be to throw us overboard for sport, or
to make pirates of us."

I did not reply, but looked at Jack, as being our only resource in this
emergency. He stood with folded arms, and his eyes fixed with a grave,
anxious expression on the ground. "There is but one hope," said he,
turning with a sad expression of countenance to Peterkin; "perhaps, after
all, we may not have to resort to it. If these villains are anxious to
take us, they will soon overrun the whole island. But come, follow me."

Stopping abruptly in his speech, Jack bounded into the woods, and led us
by a circuitous route to Spouting Cliff. Here he halted, and, advancing
cautiously to the rocks, glanced over their edge. We were soon by his
side, and saw the boat, which was crowded with armed men, just touching
the shore. In an instant the crew landed, formed line, and rushed up to
our bower.

In a few seconds we saw them hurrying back to the boat, one of them
swinging the poor cat round his head by the tail. On reaching the
water's edge, he tossed it far into the sea, and joined his companions,
who appeared to be holding a hasty council.

"You see what we may expect," said Jack bitterly. "The man who will
wantonly kill a poor brute for sport will think little of murdering a
fellow-creature. Now, boys, we have but one chance left,--the Diamond
Cave."

"The Diamond Cave!" cried Peterkin, "then my chance is a poor one, for I
could not dive into it if all the pirates on the Pacific were at my
heels."

"Nay, but," said I, "we will take you down, Peterkin, if you will only
trust us."

As I spoke, we observed the pirates scatter over the beach, and radiate,
as if from a centre, towards the woods and along shore.

"Now, Peterkin," said Jack, in a solemn tone, "you must make up your mind
to do it, or we must make up our minds to die in your company."

"Oh, Jack, my dear friend," cried Peterkin, turnin