The seething, foaming waters
rushed round her, and would have swept her off again, had not her crew,
leaping out, seized her gunwale and dragged her up the beach, while the
wounded men were carried to a spot where they were safe.

Jack having placed little Harry, whom he carried in his arms, in a place
of safety, looked anxiously round for Terence. The boat of the latter
had received even greater damage, but his people had escaped with their
lives. Some of the provisions had, however, been washed out of her.

"I fear we are on a very _dissolute_ island," exclaimed Adair as he came
up to Jack. It was certainly a most unpromising spot. There were a few
palm-trees to be seen here and there at a distance, but of a stunted
growth, as if there was but little soil to nourish their roots, while
all around was sand and rock. On hauling up the boats they were both
discovered to be unseaworthy; their stock of provisions was much
reduced; and what was worst, most of their powder was spoilt, and the
boats' guns rendered useless, a very important loss in the neighbourhood
of so numerous and vindictive an enemy. The men had their muskets and
cutlasses, however, and there was no doubt but that should the pirates
attack them, they would fight to the last. The great hope was that the
tornado which had driven them on shore, might have treated their enemies
in the same way.

"We ought not to wish our enemies ill," observed Terence; "but I suppose
that it would not be wrong to wish that they may be no better off than
we are."

Jack had nothing to say against this principle. Another source of
anxiety was for Mr Cherry. They had left him attacking a very superior
force; and even had he come off the victor, how would his boat have
withstood the tornado?

Still no one despaired or even lost their spirits, neither were they for
a moment idle. The men joked and laughed as much as ever, especially at
Queerface, who, delighted to get on shore, leaped and frolicked about in
the highest glee. Jack and Terence, after a short consultation, agreed
that as they could not get away, it would be safer to fortify
themselves, in case the pirates should discover and attack them.

They were not long in selecting a spot among some rocks, where, by
throwing up banks of sand and digging holes in which to shelter
themselves, they hoped that they might bid defiance to ten times their
own number of enemies. The tornado kept blowing very fiercely f