our way to build great fires; we were, indeed, by
the captain's orders, somewhat niggardly of firewood; and I began to fear
that something had gone wrong while I was absent.

I stole round by the eastern end, keeping close in shadow, and at a
convenient place, where the darkness was thickest, crossed the palisade.

To make assurance surer, I got upon my hands and knees, and crawled,
without a sound, towards the corner of the house. As I drew nearer, my
heart was suddenly and greatly lightened. It is not a pleasant noise in
itself, and I have often complained of it at other times; but just then
it was like music to hear my friends snoring together so loud and
peaceful in their sleep. The sea-cry of the watch, that beautiful "All's
well," never fell more reassuringly on my ear.

In the meantime, there was no doubt of one thing: they kept an infamous
bad watch. If it had been Silver and his lads that were now creeping in
on them, not a soul would have seen daybreak. That was what it was,
thought I, to have the captain wounded; and again I blamed myself sharply
for leaving them in that danger with so few to mount guard.

By this time I had got to the door and stood up. All was dark within, so
that I could distinguish nothing by the eye. As for sounds, there was the
steady drone of the snorers, and a small occasional noise, a flickering
or pecking that I could in no way account for.

With my arms before me I walked steadily in. I should lie down in my own
place (I thought, with a silent chuckle) and enjoy their faces when they
found me in the morning.

My foot struck something yielding--it was a sleeper's leg; and he turned
and groaned, but without awaking.

And then, all of a sudden, a shrill voice broke forth out of the
darkness--

"Pieces of eight! pieces of eight! pieces of eight! pieces of eight!
pieces of eight!" and so forth, without pause or change, like the
clacking of a tiny mill.

Silver's green parrot, Captain Flint! It was she whom I had heard pecking
at a piece of bark; it was she, keeping better watch than any human
being, who thus announced my arrival with her wearisome refrain.

I had no time left me to recover. At the sharp, clipping tone of the
parrot, the sleepers awoke and sprang up; and with a mighty oath, the
voice of Silver cried--

"Who goes?"

I turned to run, struck violently against one person, recoiled, and ran
full into the arms of a second, who, for his part, closed upon and held