Meanwhile the shouts of the savages, who, it was evident, had now come upon the footprints of the two seamen on the ground, were heard outside of the tree.
"They will of course discover us, after all!" said Harry, "and we will have to die. Better to have fallen in defense of Mary."
Turk scratched his head. By the red gleam, shooting down into the hollow, Harry could see a troubled expression upon the old seaman's face.
"Ay, ay," he muttered, at length, "the Turks never was good at strategic p'nts. I had a grandfather, who, to save himself from a mad bull, throwed himself, in tryin' to leap over it, partly upon the creatur's horns, which, penetratin' the seat of his breeches, held him expended in that way until he was relieved by friends!"
The old tar had scarcely thus delivered himself, when, chancing to glance down, he beheld the tattooed face of a savage, thrust under the trunk of the tree, peering up at him.
Before he could utter a word, however, the face was withdrawn.
Next moment a sound, as of men busy at work piling something around the tree, was heard.
Soon after all was still.
The two men held a consultation. Doubtless the savages were somewhere not far off, waiting for them to emerge.
Nevertheless, they determined to make an attempt to escape from their present retreat.