It occurred to M. Zermatt's mind that this hurried return might be a flight, and he wondered whether there would appear in chase some canoe full of savages, or even a pirate vessel from the open sea. But he did not communicate this highly alarming idea to anyone else. Followed by Betsy, Jenny, Ernest and Frank, he hurried to the far end of the creek, in haste to question Fritz and Jack.
A quarter of an hour later the canoe stopped by the nearest rocks, which served as landing stage, at the end of the creek.
"What is the matter?" M. Zermatt cried.
Fritz and Jack jumped out onto the beach. Quite out of breath, their faces bathed in perspiration and their arms worn out with exertion, they could only answer with gestures at first, pointing to the coast east of Deliverance Bay.
"What is the matter?" Frank repeated, grasping Fritz's arm.
"Didn't you hear?" Fritz asked at last when he had recovered his breath.
"Yes: you mean the two guns you fired from the Shark's battery?" said Ernest.
"No," Jack answered; "not ours; those that answered!"
"What?" M. Zermatt exclaimed. "Reports?"
"It isn't possible! It isn't possible!" Mme. Zermatt repeated.