nd he must have stopped his ears and
run.

"I don't think they can hear us now," said the captain. "Hah!"

There was a tremendous flash, accompanied by a deafening roar from the
mountain, and the whole of the bay, with its overhanging blackened
rocks, were for a few moments illumined by the quivering light, so that
everything was as distinct as if it were noon.

Then all was pitchy blackness again, and the thunderous roar died slowly
away, as the thunder mutters into silence in a storm.

"That was a narrow escape from being seen," said the captain, cheerily.
"Two minutes sooner, and we should have been in full view. All
together, the ground is getting clearer now."

"If we might only give one good hooray, Mr Mark, sir," said a familiar
voice, "it would seem to do us good;" and the lad realised that it was
Billy Widgeon who had been working all along close to his elbow.

Mark felt with the man, for in his own breast there was an intense
desire to cry out or shout, or give some vent to the pent-up excitement.
But there was plenty to take up their attention, for the captain, now
that the ridge was between them and their enemies, hastened their steps,
in spite of the blackness, so that, after a few slips, and a narrow
escape of breaking in the bows of the boat through a sudden fall upon an
awkwardly-placed rock, she was safely run down to the edge of the
crater, and the oars, mast, and sail replaced.

The next proceeding was to get the ladies on board the little cutter,
which lay some twenty fathoms from the sands, and in darkness and
silence they were handed into the gig, and were half-way to the little
vessel, when, without warning, a vivid light flashed out from the
mountain, and the oars ceased to dip.

But this was no lightning-like flash, but a continuous glow, which lit
up jungle, rock, and the black waters of the bay, while every eye was
turned in the direction of the ridge in expectation of seeing the praus
plainly standing out in the glare.

Fortunately, the ridge was sufficiently high to conceal the occupants of
the boat, and in place of the light proving their betrayal, it aided the
embarkation, the boat going on at the end of the next few minutes, and
all climbing safely on board. Then the gig was secured by a rope
astern, and there was nothing now to be done but wait till daylight, and
then trust to being able to escape by running southward along the lagoon
before the praus could get round the nor