, and other workmanship of the natives.
Much rough gold was also placed on board their canoe, and a great
portion of the dwellers of the hills marched down at night with
them to the point of embarkation, a lonely creek far from the
settlement of the Spaniards, to bid them farewell.

The boys, themselves, were affected by the sorrow of their friends,
and by the confidence which these had placed in them; and they
promised that, should they return to those parts, they would
assuredly pay a visit to them, again, in the hills. Before leaving,
they had seen that two of the worthiest and wisest of the natives
were chosen as leaders, and to these all the rest had sworn an
oath, promising to obey their orders in all respects. They had
constantly acted with the boys; and had, indeed, been their chief
advisers in the matters internal to the tribe; and the lads had
little doubt that, for some time at least, things would go well in
the mountains. As to the ultimate power of the refugees to maintain
their independence, this must, they felt, depend upon events beyond
them. If the Spaniards were left at peace, and undisturbed by
English adventurers or other troubles, there was little doubt,
sooner or later, they would destroy the whole of the natives of
this island, as they had destroyed them in almost every place where
they had come in contact with them. However, the boys had the
satisfaction of knowing that they had been the means of, at least,
prolonging the existence of this band, and of putting off the evil
day, perhaps for years to come.

The Simeroons paddled out from the creek and, hoisting the sail,
the boat merrily danced over the water; and the boys felt their
spirits rise, at the hope of seeing their countrymen, and hearing
their native tongue again, after eighteen months passed, absolutely
separate from all civilized communion.

After two days sailing and paddling, they reached the bay where the
natives had reported the English ship to be lying; and here, to
their great delight, they found the Maria, Captain Cliff, lying at
anchor.

Ned and Gerald, when they explained who they were, were received
with great joy and amazement. The story of their loss had been
told, in England; and the captain, who came from the neighborhood
where Gerald's father dwelt, reported that the family had long
mourned him as dead. He himself was bent, not upon a buccaneering
voyage--although, no doubt, if a rich ship had fallen into his
hand