be had, for I see
he's got three of the chap's whale-boats, to replace the two as was
expended in our little trifle of a brush, no doubt."

"This is important news, indeed," said I; "and news that provides matter
for very serious reflection. What do you suppose has brought them in
here, Bob? Did you see anything by which you could form an opinion?"

"Yes," replied he, "I did. Want of water may be one thing; but it's my
idee that they've come in here to give their craft an overhaul, for
they'd no sooner let go their anchor than they outs boats, and one watch
pulls ashore and turns to building huts on the green, whilst t'other
watch sends down t'gallan' yards and masts, and unbends the sails and
sends 'em all down on deck."

"Then they are likely to make a pretty long stay," said I; "and, in that
case, we may be discovered at any moment."

"That they're likely to stay here some time I'll not deny," returned
Bob; "but I don't feel partic'lar oneasy about bein' discovered. It's
like enough as some on 'em may take the fancy in their heads to scale
this here bit of a mountain; but I've made it my business to give the
place a reg'lar overhaul this a'ternoon, and the thing _can't_ be done
from the south'ard--not without ladders, that is, and good long uns at
that; and I've found out, too, that though you may get round to t'other
side of the mountain from here, you can't get down to the level ground
beyond. I never see such a place, it's nothing but precipices one atop
of t'other; and there's one place I come to which one man might defend
ag'in just as many as ever like to come a'ter him, by just standin'
behind a sort of wall in the cliff and shoving of 'em over the edge as
they tried to get round it. No, no; you make your mind easy _on_ that
p'int, lad; we ain't to be got at except 'tis by water, and I reckon
they'll be all too busy to spare a boat's crew to come the length of
this; and if they did, it's a thousand chances to one that they'd never
find the openin' into this here cove. Why, I run past it myself the day
as we brought you in here wounded, and I'd never have found it if I
hadn't knowed just where to look for it. _So_ it's my opinion as we may
stay here quiet and comfortable enough so long as we've a mind to; and
then, when we're tired of waitin', we can slip out quietly in the night,
and nobody be any the wiser. So much for that. Now for an idee that's
come into my head, and that I can't get rid of n