" observed the captain. "The Lord
never deserts those who fully believe and trust him. Those villains
may be defeated yet."

The outlaw grinned as he looked around the room. "My dear friends are
badly fooled," he chuckled with glee. "They believe the chief is with
you, and he is not here. Why, they have already spent, in imagination,
the money that they are going to derive from the sale of his plumes.
What a shock it will be to them when they learn that the bird has
flown. I wish I could see their faces when they hear the news."

"The chief is dead," said Walter, "do you think they would go away if
they knew the truth?"

"No, I do not," replied Ritter, after a moment's thought, "in spite of
all you might say, they would have a suspicion that you had secured the
plumes yourselves, and, anyway, they are so mad that they will not
leave until they have finished the job."

The hunters were favorably impressed with the frankness of the former
outlaw. He had the speech and the manners of a gentleman, and his
earnestness and apparent sincerity went far towards removing their
suspicions, and, much to their surprise, they found themselves soon
talking to him with the freedom of old acquaintances.

Ritter chuckled with delight when they told him of the young chief
going for aid. "That gives us a fighting chance," he declared,
joyfully. "We must put ourselves on short rations and try to hold out
until they come."

"Where is Indian Charley?" asked Walter, "is he with the others?"

"No, they could not induce him to set foot on the island. The place
evidently has a bad name among the Indians and I am not surprised after
what I have seen. Even the convicts are puzzled and a little alarmed
by the walls, courts, and buildings. They none of them know enough
about history to lay them to the Spaniards as you folks have probably
done. Charley, the Indian, swears that there is a mysterious bell
which tolls every night. Have you heard anything of the kind?"

Walter briefly related their adventure with the bell-ringer, omitting
any reference to the captain's superstitious fears, much to the old
sailor's relief.

Further conversation was interrupted by darkness and preparations for
the night.

Chris built a little fire near the door where the smoke would pass out
through the cracks and prepared a stew of venison and some broth for
Charley.

Taking turns the besieged made a hearty meal which did wonders in
renewing ho