"Skipper's coming," whispered Barkins; and we separated. For the next hour all was eager watchfulness on board, as we approached very slowly, shortening sail, and with two men in the chains heaving the lead on account of the hidden reefs and shoals off some of the islands. But, as we approached, nothing more could be made out till the man aloft hailed the deck, and announced that he could read the name on the stern, _Dunstaffnage, Glasgow_. Another hour passed, during which the island, a couple of miles beyond, was swept by glass after glass, and tree and hill examined, but there was no sign of signal on tree or hill. All was bare, chilly, and repellent there, and we felt that the crew of the vessel could not have taken refuge ashore. At last the crew of a boat was piped away, and, as I was gazing longingly at the men getting in under the command of Mr Brooke, a quiet, gentlemanly fellow, our junior lieutenant, Mr Reardon said, as he caught my eye-- "Yes; go." I did not wait for a second order, you may be sure, but sprang in, and as the _Teaser_ was thrown up in the wind with her sails flapping, it being deemed unsafe to go any nearer to the barque, the little wheels chirrupped, and down we went, to sit the next moment lightly upon a good-sized wave which rose up as if to receive us; the falls were cast off, the oars dropped, and the next minute we glided away towards the stranded vessel. "Quite a treat to get a bit of an adventure, eh Herrick?" said Mr Brooke. "Yes, sir. Been slow enough lately." "Oh, you need not grumble, my lad. You did have one good adventure. By the way, how are your sore ribs?" "My ribs, sir? Oh, I had forgotten all about them. But do you think this is the work of pirates, or that the ship has run ashore?" "I'm not sure, my lad, but we shall soon know." We sat watching the fine well-built barque, as the men pulled lustily at their oars, making the water flash and the distance grow shorter. Then all at once my companion said shortly-- "Pirates." "Where, where?" I said eagerly, and my hand went to my dirk. Mr Brooke laughed, and I saw all the men showing their teeth. "No, no, my lad," he said. "I meant this was the work of pirates." "How do you know, sir?" "Look at those ropes and sheets hanging loose. They have been cut. The barque has not been in a storm either. She has just gone on to the rocks and the fore-topmast evidently snapped with the shock." "And the smoke? Is that from the forecastle?" He shook his head, and stood up in the boat, after handing me the lines, while he remained scanning the vessel attentively. "Hail her, Jones," he said to the bowman; and the man jumped up, put his hands to his mouth, and roared out, "_Ship ahoy_!"