high time for Burgess to take his departure if he did not
wish his whale-boat to be cracked like a nut against the roof of the
tunnel. Alive to his danger, the Commandant abandoned the search after
his late prisoner's corpse, and he hastened to gain the open sea. The
boat, carried backwards and upwards on the bosom of a monstrous wave,
narrowly escaped destruction, and John Rex, climbing to the gallery, saw
with much satisfaction the broad back of his out-witted gaoler disappear
round the sheltering promontory. The last efforts of his pursuers
had failed, and in another hour the only accessible entrance to the
convict's retreat was hidden under three feet of furious seawater.

His gaolers were convinced of his death, and would search for him no
more. So far, so good. Now for the last desperate venture--the escape
from the wonderful cavern which was at once his shelter and his prison.
Piling his wood together, and succeeding after many efforts, by the
aid of a flint and the ring which yet clung to his ankle, in lighting
a fire, and warming his chilled limbs in its cheering blaze, he set
himself to meditate upon his course of action. He was safe for the
present, and the supply of food that the rock afforded was amply
sufficient to sustain life in him for many days, but it was impossible
that he could remain for many days concealed. He had no fresh water, and
though, by reason of the soaking he had received, he had hitherto
felt little inconvenience from this cause, the salt and acrid mussels
speedily induced a raging thirst, which he could not alleviate. It was
imperative that within forty-eight hours at farthest he should be on his
way to the peninsula. He remembered the little stream into which--in his
flight of the previous night--he had so nearly fallen, and hoped to be
able, under cover of the darkness, to steal round the reef and reach it
unobserved. His desperate scheme was then to commence. He had to run
the gauntlet of the dogs and guards, gain the peninsula, and await the
rescuing vessel. He confessed to himself that the chances were terribly
against him. If Gabbett and the others had been recaptured--as he
devoutly trusted--the coast would be comparatively clear; but if they
had escaped, he knew Burgess too well to think that he would give up the
chase while hope of re-taking the absconders remained to him. If indeed
all fell out as he had wished, he had still to sustain life until Blunt
found him--if haply Blun