As it drew near he perceived it came from a lantern
in the bow of a boat gliding along under shadow of the land. It
pulled up in a small cove close to where he was. A man jumped on
shore, and searching about with the lantern, exclaimed, "This is
the place--here's the iron ring." The boat was then made fast, and
the man, returning on board, assisted his comrades in conveying
something heavy on shore. As the light gleamed among them, Sam saw
that they were five stout, desperate-looking fellows, in red woolen
caps, with a leader in a three-cornered hat, and that some of them
were armed with dirks, or long knives, and pistols. They talked
low to one another, and occasionally in some outlandish tongue
which he could not understand.
On landing they made their way among the bushes, taking turns to
relieve each other in lugging their burden up the rocky bank.
Sam's curiosity was now fully aroused, so leaving his skiff he
clambered silently up a ridge that overlooked their path. They had
stopped to rest for a moment, and the leader was looking about
among the bushes with his lantern.
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