Towards midnight, a sound in the water made our hearts beat. Either the pirates meant to storm us at night, or Smart and the captain were attempting to join us. Calling the girls, we set them to watch the rope ladder, which we let down on the one side, while we watched the pathway on the other.

The tide was ebbing, though our rock was still wholly surrounded by water, yet not sufficient to make the sharks any protection to us. It was this which made us so anxious, for there were such a few hours in the day during which the pirates could attack us, and they had been so unexpectedly repulsed, we had but little doubt they would attempt a night assault if possible, and for this the tide now suited very well, and we could not hope that they would be ignorant of the advantage.

The sounds advanced on one side, though still so faint and designedly smothered we could distinguish nothing to lead us to know whether friends or foes were coming. Now, whoever they were, they certainly had landed at the foot of the rock. We instinctively each grasped a stone.

"The Lord be thankit, captain; I do consate as we have found the pathway," in Smart's tones, rose up to our delighted ears, and we grasped their hands with heartfelt pleasure as they severally reached the top. We had, however, a drawback to our pleasure, for Smart had been wounded looking for Mrs. Hargrave. The necessity of binding his wound and restoring his exhausted strength, prevented us from thinking of getting off to the ship then; besides, we had little more than an hour's darkness left us, and it would have taken that time to move Madame alone. So, after making Smart as comfortable as we could, Schillie and I ran off to take some rest, in the full assurance that half our cares were over, now that we had got our two able-bodied defenders among us again. Besides, no further responsibility rested on our shoulders, and that was so great a relief we were asleep almost before we laid down.