He pointed his gun at the little sailor, and vowed so heartily that he would fire at his legs if he did not descend, that Billy swung himself reluctantly on to a thin elastic branch, and let himself swing lower till he could touch the ground.
“I think the best way will be to get a fire, and as soon as the brands are well alight one of the men must go underneath and throw them in, while we stand ready with our guns.”
The plan was carried out; and eager now to show that he was not so great a coward as the boatswain had suggested, Billy volunteered to throw in the burning wood.
All was ready. The captain, major, Mark, and Small, with loaded pieces, and the latter with instructions to fire calmly and with good aim, and Billy with the burning wood, which was of a resinous nature, and burned fiercely.
“Now, my lad,” said the captain after a glance round, and finally fixing his eyes on the mouth of the cavern, which looked black and grim, “when I say ‘Ready!’ get well under the cave mouth, climb up a little way, and hurl in the burning wood as far as you can.”
“But suppose he comes out, sir?”
“If he does, you will be out of sight, and the beast will come right at us.”
“You won’t shoot me, gentlemen?”
“No, man, of course not.”
“Nor you, Mr Small,” pleaded Billy.