on a certain day; but
she takes many weeks on her voyage, even if the wind be favorable
She might have been here a week since. She may not be here for
another fortnight. But unless something unforeseen has occurred,
she should be here by that time; for the winds are steady in these
regions, and the rate of sailing regular."

"The one chance appears to me," Ned said, after thinking for some
time, "is to give them warning of what is happening here."

"But how is that to be done?" asked the governor.

"The only possible plan," Ned said, "would be for one of us--and I
should be ready to accept the duty, knowing more perhaps of the
ways of natives than the others--to steal forth from the castle, to
make for the shore, and to lie concealed among the woods until the
vessel is in sight. If then I could find a canoe, to seize it and
paddle off to the ship; if not, to swim."

The other lads eagerly volunteered to undertake the work; but Ned
insisted that he was better suited to it, not only from his
knowledge of the natives, but from his superior powers in swimming.

"I may have," he said, "to keep myself up in the water for a long
time, and perhaps to swim for my life, if the natives see me. It is
even desirable, above all things, that whosoever undertakes the
work should be a good swimmer; and although you have long ago given
up calling me The Otter, I do not suppose that my powers in the
water have diminished."

After long consultation, it was agreed that this plan offered more
chances of success than any other.

"It would be most desirable," Gerald said, "that we should have
some notice, here, of the ship being in sight; in order that we
might sally out, and lend a hand to our friends on their arrival. I
will, therefore, if you will allow me, go with Ned; and when the
ship is in sight, I will make my way back here, while he goes off
to the vessel."

"But it will be impossible," Ned said, "to make your way back here
in the daytime. I can steal out at night, but to return unnoticed
would be difficult, indeed."

"But when you see the ship, Ned, and get on board, you might warn
them to delay their landing until the next morning; and in the
night I might enter here with the news, and we might sally out at
daybreak."

This plan appeared to offer more advantages than any other; and it
was agreed, at last, that the two lads should, having darkened
their skins and put on Indian dress, steal out that night from the
cast