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.