To this the Grampus observed, that if the cave had only three fathoms of water in the bottom of it he would have no objections whatever to try.

“But,” added he, “suppose you go in.”

Corrie shook his head, and looked anxiously miserable.

“Well, then,” said Bumpus, “suppose we light two torches.  I’ll take one in one hand, and this here cutlash in the other; and you’ll take t’other torch in one hand and your pistol in the other, and clap that bit of a broken sword ’tween yer teeth, and we’ll give a ’orrid screech, and rush in, pell-mell—­all of a heap like.  You could fire yer pistol straight before you on chance (it’s wonderful wot a chance shot will do sometimes); an’ if it don’t do nothin’, fling it right into the blackguard’s face:  a brass-mounted tool like that ketchin’ him right on the end of his peak would lay him flat over, like a ship in a white squall.”

“And suppose,” said Corrie, in a tone of withering sarcasm,—­“suppose all this happened to Alice, instead of the dirty nigger?”

“Ah! to be sure.  That’s a puzzler,—­puzzler number two.”

Here Poopy, who had listened with great impatience to the foregoing conversation, broke in energetically.

“An’ s’pose,” said she, “dat Keona and Missy Alice come out ob cave w’en you two be talkerin’ sich a lot of stuff?”

It may as well be remarked, in passing, that Poopy had acquired a considerable amount of her knowledge of English from Master Corrie.  Her remark, although not politely made, was sufficiently striking to cause Bumpus to start up, and exclaim: 

“That’s true, gal.  Come, show us the way to this here cave.”

There was a fourth individual present at this council of war who apparently felt a deep interest in its results, although he took no part in its proceedings.  This was no other than Keona himself, who lay extended at full length among the rocks, not two yards from the spot where Bumpus sat, listening intently, and grinning from ear to ear with fiendish malice.

The series of shrieks, howls, and yells to which reference has been made had naturally attracted the attention of that wily savage when he was in the cave.  Following the sounds with quick, noiseless step, he soon found himself within a few paces of the deliberating trio.  The savage did not make much of the conversation, but he gathered sufficient to assure himself that his hiding-place had been discovered, and that plans were being laid for his capture.

It would have been an easy matter for him to have suddenly leaped on the unsuspecting Bumpus and driven a knife to his heart, after which poor Corrie and the girl could have been easily dealt with; but fortunately (at least for his enemies, if not for himself) indecision in the moment of action was one of Keona’s besetting sins.  He suspected that other enemies might be near at hand, and that the noise of the scuffle might draw them to the spot.  He observed, moreover,