ssing urgency of their case, the man almost forgot that his
companion was a boy, and the boy never for a moment doubted that he
himself, in everything but years, was a man.

It was getting dark when they returned to the tent, where they found
that Alice and Poopy had arranged their supper with the most scrupulous
care and nicety. These too, with the happy buoyancy of extreme youth,
had temporarily forgotten their position, and, when their male
companions entered, were deeply engaged in a private game of a "tea
party," in which hard biscuit figured as bun, and water was made to do
duty for tea. In this latter part of the game, by the way, the children
did but carry out in jest a practice which is not altogether unknown in
happier circumstances and in civilised society.

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.

PLANS PARTIALLY CARRIED OUT--THE CUTTER'S FATE--AND A SERIOUS
MISFORTUNE.

The cutter was a fast sailer, and although the pirate schooner had left
Sandy Cove nearly two days before her, the _Wasp_, having had a fair
wind, followed close on her heels. The _Avenger_ cast anchor in the
harbour of the Isle of Palms on the morning of her fifth day out; the
_Wasp_ sighted the island on the evening of the same day.

It was not Gascoyne's purpose to run down at once and have a hand to
hand fight with his own men. He felt that his party was too weak for
such an attempt, and resolved to accomplish by stratagem what he could
not hope to compass by force. He therefore hove-to the instant the tops
of the palm-trees appeared on the horizon, and waited till night should
set in and favour his designs.

"What do you intend to do?" inquired Henry Stuart, who stood on the deck
watching the sun as it sank into the ocean behind a mass of golden
clouds, in which, however, there were some symptoms of stormy weather.

"I mean to wait till it is dark," said Gascoyne, "and then run down and
take possession of the schooner."

Henry looked at the pirate captain in surprise, and not without
distrust. Ole Thorwald, who was smoking his big German pipe with great
energy, looked at him with undisguised uneasiness.

"You speak as if you had no doubt whatever of succeeding in this
enterprise, Mr Gascoyne," said the latter.

"I _have_ no doubt," replied Gascoyne.

"I do believe you're right," returned Thorwald, smoking furiously as he
became more agitated. "I make no question but your villains will
receive you with open arms. What guarantee ha