"My friends," said Harding, and his voice betrayed some emotion, "if
these wretches endeavour to seize Lincoln Island, we shall defend it--
shall we not?"
"Yes, Cyrus," replied the reporter, "and if necessary we will die to
defend it!"
The engineer extended his hand to his companions, who pressed it warmly.
Ayrton alone remained in his corner, not joining the colonists. Perhaps
he, the former convict, still felt himself unworthy to do so!
Cyrus Harding understood what was passing in Ayrton's mind, and going to
him--
"And you, Ayrton," he asked, "what will you do?"
"My duty," answered Ayrton.
He then took up his station near the window and gazed through the
foliage.
It was now half-past seven. The sun had disappeared twenty minutes ago
behind Granite House. Consequently the eastern horizon was becoming
gradually obscured. In the meanwhile the brig continued to advance
towards Union Bay. She was now not more than two miles off, and exactly
opposite the plateau of Prospect Heights, for after having tacked off
Claw Cape, she had drifted towards the north in the current of the
rising tide. One might have said that at this distance she had already
entered the vast bay, for a straight line drawn from Claw Cape to Cape
Mandible would have rested on her starboard quarter.
Was the brig about to penetrate far into the bay? That was the first
question. When once in the bay, would she anchor there? That was the
second. Would she not content herself with only surveying the coast,
and stand out to sea again without landing her crew? They would know
this in an hour. The colonists could do nothing but wait.
Cyrus Harding had not seen the suspected vessel hoist the black flag
without deep anxiety. Was it not a direct menace against the work which
he and his companions had till now conducted so successfully? Had these
pirates--for the sailors of the brig could be nothing else--already
visited the island, since on approaching it they had hoisted their
colours. Had they formerly invaded it, so that certain unaccountable
peculiarities might be explained in this way? Did there exist in the as
yet unexplored parts some accomplice ready to enter into communication
with them?
To all these questions which he mentally asked himself, Harding knew not
what to reply; but he felt that the safety of the colony could not but
be seriously threatened by the arrival of the brig.
However, he and his companions were determined to fight to the last
gasp. It would have been very important to know if the pirates were
numerous and better armed than the colonists. But how was this
information to be obtained?
Night fell. The new moon had disappeared. Profound darkness enveloped
the island and the sea. No light could pierce through the heavy piles
of clouds on the horizon. The wind had died away completely with the
twilight. Not a leaf rustled on the trees, not a ripple murmured on the
shore. Nothing could be seen of the ship, all her lights being
extinguished, and if she was still in sight of the island, her
whereabouts could not be discovered.
"Well! who knows?" said Pencroft. "Perhaps that cursed craft will stand
off during the night, and we shall see nothing of her at daybreak."
As if in reply to the sailor's observation, a bright light flashed in
the darkness, and a cannon-shot was heard.
The vessel was still there and had guns on board.
Six seconds elapsed between the flash and the report.
Therefore the brig was about a mile and a quarter from the coast.
At the same time, the chains were heard rattling through the
hawse-holes.
The vessel had just anchored in sight of Granite House!