The mate failed to look at the matter in such a philosophical light, and he would have continued to give way to his anger in unmeasured terms, if a noise from the entrance had not warned him to be silent.
Animated by the same thought, each member of the party crept to the edge of the shaft, and there the hum of voices proclaimed that the secret of their hiding-place had been discovered.
“We’re under cover now, for a fact,” Jenkins said, grimly, as the sound of footsteps told that the enemy were moving to and fro, evidently for the purpose of examining the surroundings, “and the worst of it is that we’re reg’larly shut in till the captain comes back, for I’ll guarantee that crowd don’t leave while we are down here alive.”
“Then the sailors are better off than we, and have a good chance to get hold of the boats.”
“It ain’t likely these imps are so careless as to leave the crafts where anybody can get them, an’ we shall have to wait till mornin’ before knowin’ who’s in the best condition. We’ll have a few oysters, an’ then try to get a little sleep, for there’s no danger of an attack between now an’ daylight.”
“I couldn’t close my eyes a single minute while that crowd is waiting around to kill us,” Nelse said, with a shudder.
“Don’t be so sure, lad; you’ll get used to it in a little while, an’ the need for sleep will come mighty strong before morning.”
Nelse was positive Jenkins spoke at random, and he also thought he couldn’t eat anything under the circumstances; but when his companions attacked the oysters he succeeded in swallowing quite as many as did Gil, and even Andy made a hearty supper.
It was no longer possible to hear any noise from around the mouth of the shaft; but the besieged knew beyond a doubt that the enemy were still there, and, acting upon the mate’s suggestion, all hands moved a short distance inside the tunnel, where they could talk without danger of being overheard.
As a matter of course, every one was anxious to hear the story of Andy’s adventures, and he was able to tell it in a very few words.