"
Our first course was to make the cave quite safe, and then to mount
guard where we could see a ship if one should come near the coast. That
night the rain came down in a flood, and a storm broke over us, and we
were thus kept in doors for two days and two nights.
On the third day I set out with Jack to Shark Isle, with a view to seek
for the strange ship which he said he knew must be in some place not
far from the coast. I went to the top of a high rock, but though my eye
swept the sea for miles round, I could see no signs of a sail. I then
made Jack fire three more shots, to try if they would give the same
sound as the two boys had heard. You may judge how I felt, when I heard
one! two! three! boom through the air.
There was now no room for doubt that, though I could not see it, there
must be a ship near Shark's Isle. Jack heard me say this with great
glee, and cried out, "What can we now do to find it?"
We had brought a flag with us, and I told Jack to haul this up twice to
the top of the staff, by means of which sign those who saw it would
know that we had good news to tell them.
I then left Jack on the fort with the guns, and told him to fire as
soon as a ship hove in sight. I bent my way at once back to Rock House,
to talk with my wife, Jane, and the boys, as to what steps we should
now take.
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