“Keep in hiding; but I’ll climb up till I can see their cutter. It may be near our boat.”
“A born gin’ral,” said Dinny, giving his head a roll and gazing approvingly at Jack. “There’ll be two or three left in charge of their boat, and—what would you do next?”
Jack held up his hand, and softly retraced his course up the steep slope; and they could trace him from time to time by the waving of the leaves, but he went so cautiously that he was not seen once; and while they kept their eyes fixed upon one spot the bushes and leaves were seen to rustle softly some distance higher up.
Then they saw no more, but lay listening to the distant shouts and firing which reached their ears again and again, till, to the surprise of all three, Jack suddenly came upon them from behind.
“Well?” said Abel, eagerly.
Jack could not speak for a few moments, being breathless with exertion.
“Three men left with the cutter and they are ashore, lying upon the sands.”
“Abel,” said Jack, after a long, thoughtful silence, “we shall never be safe here with these people coming from time to time.”
“No; that settles our plans. We must take the boat and go.”
“Why not take our enemy’s vessel? We could sail where we liked then.”