e reached the top of the bank, where the beach
appeared before him, and the boat drawn up on it. David followed
him, and as they came in sight of the boat he pointed towards it,
and then touched his breast, meaning by that to show that the boat
was his. This the brigand at once understood, and after once more
staring hard at David, as though anxious to ascertain whether he
was speaking the truth or not, he bounded down the bank, and strode
towards the boat, which he examined narrowly, inside and out. Daring
this time he paid no attention to David; but to the poor lost lad
this indifference gave no hope. He knew that there was no escape
for him. He felt that on this island the brigand was supreme, and
any effort to fly would only be worse than useless. So, instead of
trying to fly, he followed the brigand, and came up to where he
was standing beside the boat.

The brigand examined it very narrowly outside and inside. He
inspected the bow, the stern, and the rudder. He knelt down and
looked underneath. He stepped inside and examined David's clumsy
fastenings of the sail. These excited much interest, apparently,
and caused prolonged study on his part. To David all this appeared
perfectly intelligible, and very natural. The brigand was evidently
examining his plunder, to see what it was worth. David felt an
additional pang of grief at the thought that he had sequestrated
the property of some innocent Castellamare fisherman, and diverted
it into the possession of brigands; but he consoled himself by the
thought that if he ever escaped he could hunt up the owner and make
good the loss. Escape for himself was the first thing, and he tried
to hope that the boat might prove a prize sufficiently valuable to
mollify the mind of the brigand, and dispose him to mercy and
compassion. So, as the brigand inspected the boat, David stood
watching the brigand, and looking earnestly to see whether there
were any signs of a relenting disposition. But the face of the
brigand preserved an unchanged expression; and after he had examined
the boat to his satisfaction, he once more confronted David, and
the poor, forlorn, despairing lad saw that his aspect was as malign,
as ferocious, and as truculent as ever.

David determined to make a further effort. There was nothing else
to be done. He felt that he must pacify this ferocious being, disarm
his hostility, appease his cruelty, and, if possible, excite his
compassion. To do all this, it would