FIVE WEEKS 197

Then, perhaps, I might have been able to escape, and deliver
the world from this band of pirates !

Such are the thoughts which continually occur to me—
to fly—to fly, at any price, from this den! But flight is
only possible through the tunnel with the submarine
boat! It is folly to think of that? Yes—folly. Yet what
other means is there of making my escape?

While I was lost in these reflections the waters of
the lagoon were stirred twenty yards from the jetty,
and the tug appeared. Almost immediately the hatch
fell back and Gibson and his men came up on the
platform. Others scrambled on the rocks in order to
secure a rope. They caught it, and hauled in the boat
to its moorings.

This time, then, the schooner is sailing without the aid of
its tug, which had only gone to put Ker Karraje and his
companions on board the £dda, and to take her in tow
through the channels of the island.

This confirms my idea that the voyage has no other
object than to gain one of the American ports, where the
Count will be able to procure the materials for the explo-
sive, and order the shells at some works. Then,a day
being fixed for his return, the tug will again pass through
the tunnel, rejoin the schooner, and Ker Karraje will come
back to Backcup.

Undoubtedly this malefactor’s designs are being put
into execution, and things are advancing more quickly than
I suppose.

August 3rd—To-day an incident occurred in the