"In there," he would say, "I feel like a man with his back to the wall. It's safe enough, but there's no telling what's behind it." And the wall was quite too high to climb, for the only eastward view from the summit of the hill was of the higher ridge, which ran right across the island, with only one possible passage, and that but a narrow one. They used to mildly chaff the old man about his fears, but he took it all with characteristic good humour. "Ay, ay, all right!" he would say. "Just you wait, and we'll see who laughs last. When they come, it'll be no laughing matter, I'm thinking." "They've probably forgotten all about us by this time, and have found easier pickings elsewhere," said Blair. "That kind doesn't forget in a hurry, and they know they've only got to break us up to get all the pickings here they want," said Cathie stubbornly. And it was thanks to these ceaseless precautions that, when the time came, they were not taken unawares. Cathie had run out in the launch one morning as usual, and presently came plunging back through the passage with a haste that betokened the unusual. "They're coming," he said quietly, as the others met him on the beach. "What, the nightmares?" said Blair, with a keen glance, for the captain was not above a joke. "Ay, the nightmares, sure enough. A brig and two tops'l schooners working up steady from the south-east. They'll carry a heap of men, I'm thinking, and we'll have our hands full." "Right? How soon can they be here, captain?" "Wind's light--a couple of hours, I should say, at soonest." "Our old plans stand?" They had long since discussed the possible campaign, though not very lately. "If they have as many men as I expect, we'll have to change 'em a bit. Unless they're absolute fools, which it's as well not to reckon on, they'll split and strike us more than one side at once. There's easy landing the other side the island." "But a difficult way across." "They don't know that, and they'll trust to luck to get across once they're ashore." "You can keep this side all safe with the _Torch_, I suppose, captain?" "Any quarter this time?" asked Cathie anxiously. "Make quite sure of their intentions first. Then, if they are what we have reason to suspect, hit hard and end it." "I'll keep this side all safe," said Cathie briskly, "and when I've cleared them here, I'll take a run round to the back and wipe 'em up there too." "How many men can you spare us, captain?" "I can do with six besides those below," said Cathie, after a moment's consideration. "Under steam we'll have the weather gauge all the time, and we'll give 'em no chance to board." "That leaves us ten. Give us your ten best, captain, and see that each man has a revolver in addition to his Winchester and cutlass. Better beat up your men at once with the drum, Ha'o. What about Ra'a? Will he rest quiet, or will he take advantage of the matter to attack us, or will he help us?"