A sound of voices, mingled with the strokes of the axes, now guided us, and stealthily creeping among the thick underbrush we soon discovered the robbers busily at work. Judson and Dandy Pete were trimming the branches from a fallen tree-trunk, while the others were rolling and dragging another big log toward the sea, the glistening waters being perceptible but a few yards away. Evidently the men were intending to build a raft, and after listening for a few minutes to their disjointed conversation we learned that the raft was designed to convey them and their stolen wealth to the ship. While Daggett, Larkin and Bry tugged and dragged at the log, Nux and I crept away to the shore, where we found two big logs already lying upon the sands. Also we could now plainly see, sheltered in another bay, the “Flipper” lying quietly at her anchorage, as Nux had wisely predicted. The schemes of the robbers were now fully explained. Under cover of the forest by day, and hidden in their cave by night, they intended to complete the raft, and when it was ready it would not be difficult to steal away to the ship with the treasure, under cover of darkness, hoist the sails, and creep out to sea, bidding defiance to the Major and his comrades and leaving the miners and the “Flipper’s” crew to perish on the lonely island. But the construction of the raft would require time—several days, at least—for after getting the logs to the shore they must be fastened together by cross-strips secured with wooden pegs, since there was not enough rope in their possession to bind the tree-trunks together. Once more returning to a part of the underbrush near which the men were employed, Nux and I settled ourselves to listen attentively to their conversation. Presently we heard Daggett say: “This rate we’ll have the raft ready by Saturday, and Saturday night we’ll take the ship.” “It’s beastly hard work!” growled Dandy Pete, brushing with his sleeve the sweat from his brow. “Yes; but it means liberty and riches to every one of us,” said Daggett, and that was an argument none cared to deny. Just then I was startled at hearing low voices just beside me and instinctively I touched the black’s shoulder and we crouched lower in the bushes. Nux, indeed, with a woodsman’s instinct, was quite flat upon the ground, lifeless and invisible, and I strove to imitate him. “It’s as easy as can be,” said the voice, which I recognized as that of Larkin. “We’ll let the fools work until the raft is finished, and then we’ll put our knives in their hearts, and have the gold for ourselves.” “How about Bry?” asked Judson, hoarsely whispering to his murderous comrade. “Oh, he won’t interfere any,” was the reply. “And we need the nigger to help us work the ship.” “Can three of us manage the vessel?”