"Why don't they push the boats off and row for it?" whispered I indignantly.
"Can't, sir," answered the Bo's'n. "Even if they could jump out of the boats and push them off they must punt to the mouth of the stream, and they would be riddled with bullets before they got that far, sir. Besides, you don't suppose, sir, those hellions would leave an oar where they could get it?"
I looked where he pointed, and saw that the oars had all been taken from the boats and were piled together some distance from the little beach.
We stood and watched those dreadful men for an hour or more. They were repulsive, but they fascinated those who had never been near persons of such notorious fame. I left Cynthia to watch the pirates and joined the Skipper.
"Captain," said I, when I could speak to him alone, "who brought you into this cavern?"
"Didn't notice exactly; that girl, I suppose. Lacelle, they call her."
"Well, she didn't bring me in. She was here when I came. She was the first person I saw. They were all here. She and the Bo's'n, Cynthia, your niece, and the Minion."
"You've got fanciful, Jones; who else could it be? Answer me that."
I did not answer him, but asked him another question.
"Did you notice, Captain, when we went along the beach this morning, when we went to bury those men, I mean——" I stopped suddenly. "It doesn't seem only a day, does it—in fact, only a few hours—since that happened?"