You say you saw no craft near ?" he asked, turning to Harcourt.
"There were none there, or from the top of the hill we should assuredly have made them out, Sir Louis." "Then the pirates--if this be, as I hope, their work--must have landed at some other point on the island, and if they catch sight of us they may make for their ship and slip away, unobserved by us.

Instead of rowing direct, therefore, we will make for that islet to the right, and row round behind it.

There are two others almost adjoining it.

Once past these, 'tis not more than half a mile to that island stretching away south.

Once round that, we shall be beyond the one from which we see the smoke rising, and can come down on its southern side.