"so, pray, be careful."

"No fear," said I; "good-bye."

"Good-bye," answered my comrades.

And while the words were yet sounding in my ears, I plunged into
the water, and in a few seconds found myself in the open air. On
rising, I was careful to come up gently and to breathe softly,
while I kept close in beside the rocks; but, as I observed no one
near me, I crept slowly out, and ascended the cliff a step at a
time, till I obtained a full view of the shore. No pirates were to
be seen, - even their boat was gone; but as it was possible they
might have hidden themselves, I did not venture too boldly forward.
Then it occurred to me to look out to sea, when, to my surprise, I
saw the pirate schooner sailing away almost hull-down on the
horizon! On seeing this I uttered a shout of joy. Then my first
impulse was to dive back to tell my companions the good news; but I
checked myself, and ran to the top of the cliff, in order to make
sure that the vessel I saw was indeed the pirate schooner. I
looked long and anxiously at her, and, giving vent to a deep sigh
of relief, said aloud, "Yes, there she goes; the villains have been
baulked of their prey this time at least."

"Not so sure of that!" said a deep voice at my side; while, at the
same moment, a heavy hand grasped my shoulder, and held it as if in
a vice.