mmersion in the water, so
restored their senses, that they rose up in the boat and shouted out to
their companions:--"These men are friends--receive them as brethren
among you, and we will be answerable for their honesty."

"Now, messieurs, is your time," said one. "Hasten, if you desire to get
on shore, or their mood will change."

"Pull in," cried Linton, and in another moment he and Raby, who carried
a breaker of water on his shoulder, sprang on shore while the boat was
hauled back to the cutter.

There they stood for an instant confronting the most ferocious looking
beings it is possible to conceive in human shape. Their beards were
long, and their hair wet and tangled, and hanging down over their
shoulders, their eye-balls were starting from their heads, and their
limbs were emaciated in the extreme, lacerated, and clotted with blood
and dirt--scarcely any of them having a rag of clothing to cover them.

"Now, my friends, allow us to proceed to a place where we may sit down
and discuss our plans for the future," said Linton, hoping thus to keep
them quiet till he could get nearer the summit of the rock.

"_Waistcoat bien, c'est bien_," they answered. "Monsieur is a man of
sense," said one, with a maniac leer at his companion. "We will allow
him to make merry at our next feast, eh, comrades?"

And they laughed, and shouted at the wit of the poor wretch.

"We will proceed, then," said Linton, who found them pressing on him.
"Push on, Raby, and try and gain the top before these madmen break out
again. Let us advance, messieurs."

"What, and join our enemies in the castle up there?" sneered the maniac,
who had proposed them joining their feast, of the nature of which they
could have little doubt. "No, no. We see that you are no friends of
the French, so over you go to feed the fishes."

As he uttered these words, he made a rush at Linton, who with difficulty
leaped out of his way, when the miserable wretch, unable to stop
himself, ran on till he fell over into the water, where his companions
derided his dying struggles. This attracted the attention of some; but
the others made a rush at Linton, who had just time to draw his cutlass,
and to keep them off from himself and Raby, who, hampered with the
water-cask, could do little to defend himself.

So rapidly had the events I have mentioned taken place, that there was
not time even for the dinghy's return to bring them assistance. Had
Linton chosen to