I did not grasp his meaning for a moment.

"Oh, I see," I cried at last; "you mean that if they did see you, they would think it was one of their own crew?"

"Yes; think one of own clew. But Ching not pilate."

"Of course. Then there would be no risk. You shall go, but we must find some place where we can hide."

"Mis' h.e.l.lick help soon makee velly nicee place."

"Wait a minute," I said. "Couldn't we climb up on the cliff like you did?"

"Yes, Mr h.e.l.lick climb, but no cally jolly sailor boy, Tom Jeck, allee way."

"No; we must make a place here if we cannot find one."

He walked up to the face of the cliff, but there was no spot at all likely to answer the purpose till he had gone about fifty yards, when he turned and signalled to me.

I crept close up to the cliff, and then stooped down, after a timid look in the direction taken by the pirates, and found Ching standing by a piece of the rock which had split away from above, fallen clear, and then its top had leaned back against the rock face, leaving a narrow rift between its base and the cliff, through which we could see the light dimly, some twelve or fourteen yards away, but it was only a faint gleam showing that the far end was nearly closed.

"Velly nice beautiful place; ought to come here last night."

"Yes, capital. We can hide here; and once inside, if we had arms, we could keep the wretches at a distance."

"Don'tee want fight now," said Ching, quietly. "No swold, no shoot gun, no jolly sailor boy. Wantee eat and dlink."

"Yes; let's get poor Jecks here at once."

"You go fetch him; tly to walkee now: Ching go fetch eat, dlink."

He hurried off toward the ridge, while I went back to my wounded man, who seemed to be lying asleep, but he opened his eyes as I approached.

"We've found a place," I said. "Do you think you can limp a little way?"

He tried to rise, and fell back with a moan, but upon my placing my arm under his, he made a fresh effort, and stood upright, taking step for step with mine, till I had him right up to the narrow opening of our shelter, into which he slowly crawled, and then spoke for the first time, but in a hoa.r.s.e voice I did not know--

"Water."

"I'll try," I said; "don't stir from there till I come back."

Creeping along close under the cliff, I soon reached the ridge, and was about to mount, but dropped down and hid, for I saw something move in the direction taken by the pirates.

A minute's investigation, however, showed it to be some bird on the strand, and I began to climb, reached the top, took a careful observation in both directions, and then up at the cliff, and,--lastly, looked out for Ching.

I soon espied him running out after a retiring billow, then running in again, and continuing this several times as if he were a boy at play.

Finally, however, I saw him go splashing in after a wave, and then come hurrying back dragging something, which he drew right ash.o.r.e.

There he stopped, panting, and looking back, caught sight of me, and signalled to me to come.

I hurried down, reached him amongst the piles of broken timber and rubbish, and found that he had secured a wooden box, one end of which had been battered upon the rocks, laying bare the bright glistening tin with which it was lined; and I realised directly that he had found what for us was a treasure, if we could tear open the tin, for the case bore the brand of a well-known firm of English biscuit-makers, and doubtless it was part of the loot taken from some unfortunate British merchantman.

"You helpee me cally?" he said.

For answer I took hold of one end of the case, and we bore it right up, through the thick sand, close under the cliff, where we placed it behind a big stone.

"You gottee big stlong knife?" cried Ching.

I took out a big-bladed knife, opened it, and found no difficulty in thrusting it through the soft tin and cutting a long gash. Then I cut another, parallel, and joined two of the ends, making a lid, which, upon being raised, showed that the biscuits were perfectly unharmed by the salt water.

"Fillee allee pockets," cried Ching; and I proceeded to do so, while twice as many as I could stow away disappeared under his garments.

"Now," I said, "we must find water and get back."

"Waitee minute; p'laps pilate come back; no have bliskit."

He dropped down upon his knees, and began tearing away the sand from behind the stone, after which he dragged the case into the hole, and tossed the sand over it at a tremendous rate, ending by completely covering it and looking up at me with a smile of satisfaction.

"Now for water," I said eagerly.

"Yes, Ching find water;" and we tramped back, the loose dry sand falling in and obliterating our footprints.

Ching led the way to a pile of tangled wreck-wood, and took out a jar covered with bamboo basket-work, and having a cross handle--a vessel that would probably hold about half a pailful.

"Ching find--float flom junk," he said; and then, with a knowing smile, he led the way to where the ridge joined the cliff; and, unable to contain myself when, he stopped and pointed down triumphantly, I fell upon my knees, and placed my lips to a tiny pool of clear cool water, which came down from a rift about forty feet above my head in the limestone rock, and, as I drank the most delicious draught I ever had in my life, the water from above splashed down coolly and pleasantly upon the back of my head.

"Ching hear can go _tlickle, tlickle_," he said, stooping in turn to get a deep draught before filling the vessel, and then leading the way back over the ridge, and out of the hot sunshine into the place where our poor companion lay upon his back, muttering hurriedly words of which we could not catch the import.

This was a fresh difficulty, for he could not be roused into sitting up to drink; and at last, in despair, I scooped up some water in my hand, and let it trickle upon his half-parted lips.

The effect was instantaneous; they moved eagerly, and, ceasing his muttering, he swallowed more and more of the water, till he must have drunk nearly a pint, and now sank into a more easy position fast asleep, and breathing easily.

"Ha!" I exclaimed. But I said no more, Ching's hand was placed over my lips, and he held me back, staring hard all the time towards the tall narrow outlet of our shelter.

For the moment I thought that this was some cowardly attack--one is so p.r.o.ne to think evil of people rather than good; but he stooped down, placed his lips to my ear, and whispered the one word--

"Pilate."

Then a loud burst of talking came upon us, sounding as it doubled by striking and echoing from the rocks. My blood ran cold once more, for I thought that my exclamation had been heard, and that the enemy was talking about and watching the opening of our shelter.

Then the noise grew louder, and some dispute seemed to be on the way, while, what was worse, the sounds did not pa.s.s on, showing that the crew of the junk, for I felt that it must be they, had returned and stopped just in front of where we crouched.

Where we were was dark enough to keep any one from seeing us if he looked in from the bright sunshine; but I knew that, sooner or later, if the men stayed where they were, some one was sure to come prying about, and would see the place. How long, then, would it be ere we were discovered, and had to meet our terrible fate after all?

"You thinkee get out other way?" said Ching at last, with his lips to my ear.

"I think not," I whispered back.

"Mustn't look out this way," he whispered again. "You go light to end and look see if pilate going stop."