oubt the frigate is
lying behind it. They must be searching for some concealed harbor like
ours. _Peste!_ this is awkward. What do you think, Jacques?"

"I should say you were right in what you said last night, captain.
They must have got an idea that our rendezvous is somewhere
hereabouts, though they don't know for certain where, and they are
searching all the island round. If they come along here like that we
shall be caught in a trap. A vessel might sail close by without
suspecting there was an entrance here, however hard they might be
looking for it; but if they send boats rowing along the shore they
couldn't help finding it. Still, there is nothing to prevent our
sailing away now, as the island is between us and them."

"That is so," the captain said. "But if they come while we are away,
in the first place they would capture all the booty in the stores, and
in the second place they might lie quiet in the harbor and would sink
the other ships when they returned. I will go down to the port again,
Jacques, and will send up two of the men from the storehouse to keep
watch here, turn and turn about. Do you remain here until you are
relieved. I will leave my glass with you. If there is anything fresh,
leave the boy on watch and come down with the news yourself. I must
talk this matter over with the mates. We have no direct interest in
the stores, but we must do the best we can for our owners."

Jacques and Ralph watched the distant boats through the glass until
they disappeared round the end of the island, then turned the glass
seaward. Jacques was using it at the time. "See!" he exclaimed, "there
are three sails together there."

"I can see them plainly enough," Ralph said. "What do you make them
out to be?"

"A schooner, a brig, and a three-masted vessel. They are lying close
together, and I fancy boats are passing between them. However, I
couldn't swear to that. They must be fifteen miles away. I expect they
are our consorts, and a merchantman they have captured."

"Can they see them from the other side of that island?" Ralph asked
excitedly.

"I should say they could," Jacques replied after pausing to calculate
the line of sight. "It depends how far round the frigate is lying, and
how close in shore. But if they have sent any one up on the hill
there, of course they can make them out as plainly as we can." Jacques
handed the glass to Ralph.

"Yes, I think I can make out boats, Jacques. What do you suppose