the ropes.

"Why didn't you say this before, man?"

"Didn't like to, sir; and besides, I thought the others knew."

"One does not seem to have been enough," whispered the surgeon.
"Aynsley, I did not know your men could shoot so well. Hah! the
stretchers."

For lanterns were seen approaching, and directly after a party came up
with the ambulance apparatus. The two convicts were lifted on and borne
off along the path traversed only a short time before by their victims--
one of them groaning piteously; the other lying silent and calm, gazing
straight up at the black darkness, while his lips moved slightly from
time to time.

"Most unfortunate! most unfortunate!" muttered the governor as soon as
he was left alone with his subordinates. "Poor, blind fools! how they
rush upon their fate! Well," he shouted, "see him?"

"No, sir. Boats are coming back, sir."

This was plain enough, and a few minutes later both rowed up in close
with fresh blue lights illuminating the scene.

"Ahoy! Who's up yonder?" shouted a naval officer.

"I am," cried the governor.

"Oh, you, Sir William! Well, sir, I'll keep my men on if you like, but
no swimmer could have got to shore from hereabouts. If there is a man
living he must be somewhere on these rocks."

"My men say they have searched thoroughly," said the governor. "Every
ledge and crack is well known. There can be no one here."

"Shall we patrol the place a little longer?"

The governor was silent for a few moments, and then, feeling that all
possible had been done, he gave the word for the search to be given up,
but sent half a dozen men to patrol the road leading to the mainland,
feeling all the while that it was a hopeless task.

By this time the last man had climbed up from the dangerous cliff side,
the ropes were coiled, and the party marched off toward the prison--the
governor last--leaving the sentinel warder to his beat with the company
of another man.

These two stood in silence till the footsteps had died out on the rocky
path and the last blue light had ceased to send golden drops into the
hissing water as the boats made for the man-of-war.

"Black night's work this, Jem," said the companion sentry. "Two of 'em
gone and three wounded."

"No, no; not so bad as that."

"Yes, bad as that. Yon chap on the stretcher won't see to-morrow
morning, and that other poor chap who shrieked when we fired went into
the water like a stone. It was your shot did