Prince deliberated.

"It is fate," he said slowly. "It is the luck of the Hochburgers."

Barraclough's comment was from a different aspect. "That's a trick to
us. We've a shot in the locker yet."

"What is it you mean?" asked the Prince.

"Why, that we can drive a bargain with them," replied Barraclough.
"We've got the whip-hand."

"There shall no bargain be made with murderers," said the Prince in his
deep voice.

"Frederic," said Princess Alix in a quick, impulsive way, "let us
escape while there is time. The way is clear now. We can get to the
island and be quit forever of those dreadful men and horrible scenes."

The Prince let his glance fall on her. "There is something to be done
here," he said at last. "The luck of the Hochburgers holds."

He was ill for certain; perhaps he was more than ill; but at that
moment I had no patience with him. I turned on my heel and left the
room.

CHAPTER XIX

THE TRAGEDY

It was quite obvious that we could not offer any resistance to another
attack if one should be made. All told, and excluding the women, there
were but seven of us, and three of these were disabled by their wounds.
We did not, of course, know how the mutineers had fared, but it was
certain that their assault had cost them dear. The heavy seas had
washed overboard dead and dying, and it was impossible for us to say
how many enemies were left to us. It might be that with their
diminished numbers they would not risk another attack, particularly as
they had found us develop so fierce a resistance. But, on the other
hand, the rank and file of the mutineers believed us to be in
possession of the treasure (as we actually were once more), and it was
likely that they would make yet another attempt to gain it. But they on
their side could not tell how we had suffered, and they would be sure
to use caution. For these reasons I did not think that we need fear an
immediate assault, but we thought it advisable to concentrate our
forces against an emergency. We therefore abandoned the music-room and
secured ourselves as well as possible in the wreck of the state-rooms,
using furniture and trunks and boxes as barricades.

For my part, my heart echoed the Princess's wish. I was in favour of
abandoning the yacht and trusting to the chances of the island. As the
sun rose higher we got glimpses of this through the windows, and the
verdure looked inviting after so many weary weeks of desolate water.
The tops o