Gatty (with her demure face).—"Yes, little Mother, I know that so well, that I sent sufficient water to wet you thoroughly instead of damping you."
Schillie went off muttering horrible imprecations.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
We employed the next rainy season in making the passage through the cavern wider and better, so that we could run up and down without torches or fears. The rainy season had commenced with what Felix called a very savage storm, and it seemed likely to end with one equally fierce. The thunder pealed so loud that many large pieces of rock were shaken down in the cavern by the concussion, and it became dangerous to live in it. Schillie turned us all out, therefore, one day, and taking Oscar and Gatty, she placed them in different safe corners with guns, and they all three fired their guns in the cavern for half an hour, thereby bringing down any loose rocks or dangerous parts of the cavern. When we were re-admitted, we were nearly all choked with the smell of the gunpowder, which did not go off for a good while. The cavern was so dry, healthy, and large, and being able to run down to the brook was so delicious, that we scarcely thought of the danger we incurred in living in it. But this storm was tremendous. We ran to the narrow part, close by the waterfall, to flee out at a minute's warning. As we sat huddled together, all silent and awe-struck, what was that we saw in the flash of lightning? Some uttered a hurried exclamation, all started, but none said a word. The thunder crashed louder; we longed for the lightning. It came, one long, bright flash, and every mouth uttered "a ship! a ship!"
How unaccountable were our feelings. Fear for the ship predominated. Then the wild conjectures, the hopes, the fears. Suppose it was the beloved La Luna, or some stranger. We heeded not the storm for ourselves now. We longed for the flashes of lightning to reveal to us the strange, the welcome, the bewildering sight. She was apparently riding at anchor, endeavouring to weather the storm under the shelter of the great rock, for each flash showed her in the same place, but each flash also took away from the most sanguine the hope that it was La Luna; yet still we clung to the idea that it might be the dear captain come in another vessel. To leave the spot was impossible; the maids brought cloaks and wrappers for the children, who slept at our feet, but the older watchers remained with their eyes fixed on the one spot, waiting for the coming dawn. The wind lulled, the rain ceased, the thunder was silent, and the impenetrable darkness remained unrelieved by the lightning. Thus we sat through that dark night, waiting for the coming hour so important to our fate.
Over the wide-spread sea streamed the first light of morning. As it spread from one end of heaven to the other our hearts beat, our eyes ached to penetrate still quicker the fast-receding gloom. It was then that Madame spoke, beseeching me earnestly to suffer no signs of our being on the island to show themselves until we had carefully scanned and examined the strangers. To this I silently agreed. Schillie and Gatty, with the three girls, were so absorbed in their watch that Madame went to each and gave them the caution she had given me. In a few minutes the world was in a blaze of light, and conspicuous on the troubled but brilliant sea was the long, low, black hull of a schooner-rigged vessel. There seemed no signs of life on board, which sent a chill to our hearts. If our dear captain had been there, would he not have been watching for the daylight as we had been? Would he not have been landing at this moment, and we rushing down to meet him? Many sobbed aloud, half overcome at the sight of human beings again, half overwhelmed at the fatal fear that they came not for us. Madame alone seemed to have her senses about her. Silently beckoning the maids to follow, she left us, but what to do we neither asked or cared to know. The little ones still slumbered, we still watched, no life, no signs of humanity to be seen on board the object of our fond wishes, our deep anxiety. An hour passed, and, as the little sleepers each awoke, Madame had them carried off. Presently the maids brought us each some coffee, but we hardly cared to drink it.
At last a man is seen. We grasped each other's hands and withdrew, clinging closer together, though the veil of waters effectually screened us, well as we could see through it. Another half hour, and the vessel was alive with human beings. Finally, about a dozen, all armed, got into a boat and came to land. They, one and all, anxiously gazed on the cliffs and rocks, while some used their telescopes. When landed, they examined with wonder and curiosity the remains of our tent; we had left but few signs there, as nothing could remain out in the wet weather without being damaged. But still there was enough to show them that human beings had been there, and that within a month or so. They sat down, and talked vehemently, always looking with great earnestness on the island. We supposed them to be alarmed, for they did not venture one hundred yards from their boat. How little did they think what a helpless party was watching them, and that, too, with greater fear than interest. Not that I was not already feeling the wisdom of Madame's advice, for, as far as we could judge, they seemed a black strange wild-looking set of men. But our suspense was soon ended. We heard one shouting, the others all ran, and he pointed to something on the cliffs we could not see. I trembled as I looked round for the children, but Gatty, whose curiosity and excitement took her beyond the bounds of prudence, exclaimed it is the snake's skin, they are wondering at it. She was quite right. Two got into the boat and rowed back to the ship, the rest ran without apparent fear to the rock on which our captain had nailed the great skin, and which we had never removed, and which neither time or storms had apparently injured. The boat brought back another load, who also ran to the place, and all seemed in a great state of excitement.
"June," said Schillie to me, "they are not alarmed about us, you see. They must have known of this island, and the great snake, and been afraid of it; now they see its skin you'll see they'll be all over the island. I misdoubt me, that big fellow is the King of the Pirates, whom fate has wafted hither in compliance with my mad wishes; and that house we found on the plain is his castle, and now he'll go and take possession, and find out that somebody has been beforehand. I don't like their looks, June, we must keep close at present. But what infatuated geese we are to sit here, when we must run to Tir-y-hir, and do away with as much of our whereabouts as we can."