the boat drawn towards some unknown peril,
held off the shelf of rocks out of reach of the current. A sudden flash
of fire, as from a flourished brand, burst out above them, and floating
downwards through the darkness, in erratic circles, came an atom of
burning wood. Surely no one but a hunted man would lurk in such a savage
retreat.

Blunt, in desperate anxiety, determined to risk all upon one venture.
"John Rex!" he shouted up through his rounded hands. The light flashed
again at the eye-hole of the mountain, and on the point above them
appeared a wild figure, holding in its hands a burning log, whose
fierce glow illumined a face so contorted by deadly fear and agony of
expectation that it was scarce human.

"Here! here!"

"The poor devil seems half-crazy," said Will Staples, under his breath;
and then aloud, "We're FRIENDS!" A few moments sufficed to explain
matters. The terrors which had oppressed John Rex disappeared in human
presence, and the villain's coolness returned. Kneeling on the rock
platform, he held parley.

"It is impossible for me to come down now," he said. "The tide covers
the only way out of the cavern."

"Can't you dive through it?" said Will Staples.

"No, nor you neither," said Rex, shuddering at the thought of trusting
himself to that horrible whirlpool.

"What's to be done? You can't come down that wall." "Wait until
morning," returned Rex coolly. "It will be dead low tide at seven
o'clock. You must send a boat at six, or there-abouts. It will be low
enough for me to get out, I dare say, by that time."

"But the Guard?"

"Won't come here, my man. They've got their work to do in watching the
Neck and exploring after my mates. They won't come here. Besides, I'm
dead."

"Dead!"

"Thought to be so, which is as well--better for me, perhaps. If they
don't see your ship, or your boat, you're safe enough."

"I don't like to risk it," said Blunt. "It's Life if we're caught."

"It's Death if I'm caught!" returned the other, with a sinister laugh.
"But there's no danger if you are cautious. No one looks for rats in a
terrier's kennel, and there's not a station along the beach from here
to Cape Pillar. Take your vessel out of eye-shot of the Neck, bring the
boat up Descent Beach, and the thing's done."

"Well," says Blunt, "I'll try it."

"You wouldn't like to stop here till morning? It is rather lonely,"
suggested Rex, absolutely making a jest of his late terrors.

Will Staples lau