It was a strange experience up there in that cleft, under the shelter of the tent, with the distant murmur of breaking waves upon the rocks. The low buzz of the men lulled for a time, then ceased, and Syd lay gazing at a great bright star which he could see peering through a slit between two outstretched sails. Then that star passed out of sight and another moved in, followed by another, which grew dim, then dimmer, and finally disappeared, for the simple reason that Syd’s eyes had closed and he was fast asleep.
Chapter Twenty Five.
The bustle about him at daybreak woke Syd up to find that it was a glorious morning, but a sharp breeze had arisen; the sea was alive with breaking waves, and great rollers kept coming in to thunder upon the rock, sending up the broken water so far that it was evidently the first duty to get all the tackle and raise the remainder of the cases and barrels to the level of the cleft.
Willing hands worked well at this, and at last everything was got up in safety on the first platform ready for running into the cleft, all save the two dismounted guns and their carriages, which were not likely to hurt, and the raising of these was deferred till after the breakfast, which one of the men who acted as cook had prepared.
“There’ll be no communication with the ship to-day, gentlemen,” said the lieutenant, “unless the wind drops. Why, she must be three miles farther away, and I can’t see the Orion. Bad job for you, Mr Belton.”
“Yes, sir,” said Syd, quietly going on with his breakfast, and glancing at Terry, who scowled.
“Well, I shall make you work. That’s the only plan in dealing with stowaways.”
“Oh, I’ll work, sir,” said Syd. “When I’ve done break fast,” he added to himself.