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"Out of one of the ship's life-boats, I suppose?" he said in a low tone

to the captain

"Yes Did you see the nuree with you That was the first life-boat which got away"

Christobal, startled out of his wonted sang-froid, whispered in his

turn: "Do you mean to say that one of the boats has fallen into the hands of

these fiends?"

"I am afraid so," replied Courtenay "Of course, that particular keg

may have drifted ashore In any case, it tells the fate of one section

of the mutineers Either the boat is swamped, or the crew are now on

the island, and we knohat that signifies"

"Is there no chance of bribing these people into friendliness, or, at

least, into a temporary truce?"

"It is hard to decide Tollemache and Suarez are best able to form an

opinion What do you say, Tollemache?"

"Not a bit of use; they are insatiable The ive the more

they want The only way to deal with those rotters is to stir the or a twelve-pounder"

Suarez, when appealed to, shook his head