Pat Stoodles was nowhere to be seen, for he had gone off in an entirely different direction from that taken by the natives. Slowly the day dragged by until night was at hand. The natives were busy preparing the meat taken from the whale, and for the time being paid but scant attention to the prisoners. "We must escape to-night," thought Dave. Yet how was it to be accomplished? Although the natives took little notice of them, one of the younger men of the tribe had been set on guard, to see that none of them broke his bonds. At last darkness settled down on the encampment. At first the fire blazed brightly, but at last it died down, leaving the prisoners in gloom. The savages gathered close to the camp-fire, the women by themselves, and were soon wrapped in slumber. One native remained on guard, seated on a fallen tree. Suddenly a form appeared in the midst of the prisoners. It was Pat Stoodles, but so transformed that Dave scarcely recognized the half-witted Irish castaway. Stoodles was dressed in a suit of skins, and on his head rested a crown made of horn, set with peacock feathers. In his hand the Irishman carried a long knife. "I am the King of the Island Windjammers!" he cried, in a low tone. "I am sent to free the world! Avaunt, ye ghosts of ships! Begone, ye rats of my brain! Ha! and how is that, my bonnie b'y! An' that! An' that!" Rambling on in this fashion, he quickly cut the ropes which held Dave and Bob. Then he turned to Captain Broadbeam and of a sudden he stopped with mouth wide open. "Captain Broadbeam, or is it another av thim drames?" he gasped. "Pat Stoodles!" cried the captain. "And so you are the king of these savages. Release me at once!" "I will! I will!" answered Stoodles, and cut the bonds, and also those of the doctor. All this time the savage on guard was looking on in silence, for he dared not interfere with the doings of Stoodles. Yet he grew uneasy when he saw all the prisoners liberated and saw the Irishman shake Captain Broadbeam by the hand. He gave a sudden and shrill cry. Quick as a flash Stoodles turned upon him. "That's fer ye!" roared the Irishman, and knocked him flat with a blow of his fist. "Quick, we must get away!" cried Dave. "See, all of the savages are awake!" He spoke the truth, and the others felt that they must fly on the instant or it would be too late. "To the woods!" cried the doctor. "Perhaps we can hide!" "I will show ye a spot!" put in Stoodles. "I have a cave all me own where they won't be afther findin' ye!" He led the way and the others followed, through the brush and up a hill back of the lake upon which the encampment was located. It was a crooked and dangerous path, yet by keeping close to Stoodles they avoided many a nasty pitfall. Soon they heard the savages on their trail. At first they were some distance off, but gradually they grew closer and closer. [Illustration: "THE SAVAGES DREW CLOSER AND CLOSER."]