l nearly nine o'clock that he detected
the first signs of movement on board her, in the shape of a thin
streamer of smoke, issuing from the galley funnel. He then watched for
the usual signs of washing down the decks, the drawing of water, the
streaming of the scuppers, and so on, but could detect nothing of the
kind; neither was the bell struck on board to mark the passage of time--
two additional indications of the absence of discipline that still
further increased his fast-growing uneasiness respecting the character
of his unwelcome visitors. As soon as the light was strong enough, it
may be mentioned, he had taken a look at the barque through his
telescope, and had read the words "_Minerva_, Glasgow," painted across
her counter; he thus knew that the vessel was British, as, indeed, he
had already suspected.

Now, it was Dick's purpose to learn as much as he possibly could about
the strangers, and to let them know as little as possible about
himself--and nothing at all about his companions--in return, until he
had had an opportunity to get some notion of their true character. He
had therefore determined to pose as a solitary castaway; and now, in
that character, proceeded down to the beach, stepped into the canoe, and
began to paddle laboriously off toward the barque. For he knew that one
of the first things to be done by the skipper of that vessel would be to
bring his telescope to bear upon the island, and this would immediately
result in the discovery of his tent, his pile of salvage from the brig,
the hut, and all the litter upon the beach; and as it was consequently
impossible to conceal the fact of his presence upon the island, he
judged that the natural action of such a castaway as himself would be to
eagerly seize the first opportunity to communicate with a calling ship.

The canoe being a big, heavy craft for one man to handle, it took him a
full hour to paddle off to the barque; but it was not until he was
within a hundred yards of her that he was able to detect any open
indication of the fact that his presence had been discovered. Then he
saw a big, burly-looking individual come aft along the vessel's full
poop, and deliberately bring a pair of binocular glasses to bear upon
him. He at once ceased paddling, and, placing his hands to his mouth,
hailed--

"_Minerva_ ahoy!"

"Hillo!" came the response across the water, in a gruff voice that
accurately matched the build and general appearance of the