y your
brother belong to you. They would die for you."

"My friend," she murmured. "No; I am not alone."

Legrand expressed great anxiety that we should improve our position,
which, indeed, left us a prey to any attack. We therefore wended our
way along the northern beach towards the rocks, in the hope of hitting
upon a situation in which we might have some chance of defence. The
scarp descended boldly into the blue water here, and the edges were
planted with brushwood. Brushwood, too, covered the slope of the hills,
interspersed with larger trees. Here and there the rough rock
outcropped and was broken, no doubt, by the winds of that tempestuous
sea or by the frosts. Legrand and I mounted, leaving the others below,
and ascended to the top of the rise, from which the shafts of our eyes
went down upon the southern beach. But the _Sea Queen_ was concealed
from view by the abutment of hill which sloped outwards and formed an
arm to a pleasant little ravine. From the top of this a stream bubbled
out of the rock and fell downwards in a jet of silver. Legrand stooped
to refresh himself with a draught preparatory to turning back, for it
was not advisable that we should venture lower upon that side of the
hills. As he did so he stopped suddenly and straightened himself. With
his hand he beckoned to me, pointing to the hillside. I looked and saw
what was in his mind. Just under the summit the rock-stratum emerged in
mass, and on one side the earth yawned in a hole.

Cautiously we approached. It was the mouth of a shallow cavern some
twelve feet through and some twenty feet in width. The cave admitted us
by stooping.

"The very place," said he significantly. "It's near water too, and has
this advantage, that we can overlook the beach by which any movement
will be made."

That was in my thoughts also, and we rejoined our companions well
satisfied. But some preparations were necessary before we installed
ourselves in our new quarters. We made a larder of eggs and piled a
heap of brushwood before the door of our house. So long as there were
no mutineers in sight we should have liberty to come and go over the
brow of the hill; and upon the north side, in a little dip, we built
our fireplace, so that the smoke should not rise and attract the notice
of the _Sea Queen_.

These arrangements occupied a great part of the morning, during all
which time we saw nothing of Holgate's men. No doubt they were busily
engaged in their hunt