CHAPTER XXXVIII.
And now how silly we looked, all exposed to the wondering gaze of the pirates. I heard Schillie muttering, "What a pack of fools we have been," while Oscar said, "Cousin, we have gone and done it now. We shall have to fight for it, and we shall have a good rowing from the captain. I had better go and see after the guns." This he did, shaking them one by one at the pirates as he examined them, while he and Felix kept appearing and disappearing from behind the trees, sometimes with hats and sometimes without, as if to make believe there were half a dozen boys. Smart lay his full length on the ground, endeavouring to recover his breath, after his late exertions.
It was of no use disguising the fact, we had discovered ourselves and our hiding place, and though no one certainly could get to us without leave, our helplessness would be fully apparent, and our identity with the lost party well known. All the advantages we had gained from our concealment were now over. We had nothing to do but wait in patience for what fate had yet in store for us.
All this time, while these thoughts were rapidly running through our heads, the whole colony of pirates were staring in undisguised amazement at us.
Sybil.—"What a frightful set of wretches."
Gatty.—"Horrid. We will never capitulate to them."
Serena.—"The women look as fierce as the men. How they do stare, just as if they never saw human beings before."
Oscar.—"I could pick off a fellow or two from this distance, Mother, if you like."
Smart (from his lair in the bushes).—"Ha' done, if you please, Sir, with any such notion. Let me get a breath or two afore we come to a fight; and anyways let them strike the first blow."