“That’s it,” he said, “and zarve ’em right, zir. That’s tumbling into the hole you made for zomebody else, isn’t it? That’s why they’ve not blown the old shell yet and didn’t put the boat back. Been out all night.”
“Could we make sure by trying to see whether there is any one on guard at the barrack-door?”
“Zoon do that, zir,” said Pete; and, going down upon hands and knees, he crawled away among the bushes, to be back in a few minutes.
“Old Zamson and Zerk both there at the door, zir, with guns.”
“Then they have caught them,” said Nic excitedly. “But the blacks are both sitting down, fast asleep, zir.”
“Worn out with their night’s work, Pete; but the prisoners will be well ironed and safe enough.”
“Ay, zir, or they’d have had the boat by now.”
“Now then, can we crawl to it under cover? We must be off at once.”
“Couldn’t on’y crawl half-way, zir, and then it’s all open, and we might be shot at if they zaw us from the house. Better make a dash for it at once and chance it.”
“Come on, then,” cried Nic; and they ran as quickly as they could down by the side of the creek, reached the boat in safety, found that the poles and oars were in their places, and jumped in.