without a head.  There was the hope, however, of the Indians not seeing those low islands, which they certainly could not do as long as they remained in their canoes.  On the other hand, there was the danger that some one might cross from the Reef in one of the boats, a thing that was done as often as once a week, in which case a chase might ensue, and the canoes be led directly towards the spot that it was so desirable to conceal.  Juno could sail a boat as well as any man among them, and, as is usually the case, that which she knew she could do so well, she was fond of doing; and she had not now been across for nearly a week.  The cow kept at the crater gave a large mess of milk, and the butter produced by her means was delicious when eaten fresh, but did not keep quite as well in so warm a climate as it might have done in one that was colder, and Dido was ever anxious to send it to Miss Bridget, as she still called her mistress, by every available opportunity.  The boat used by the negresses on such occasions, was the Dido, a perfectly safe craft in moderate weather, but she was just the dullest sailer of all those owned by the colony.  This created the additional danger of a capture, in the event of a chase.  Taking all things into consideration therefore, Mark adjourned the council to the Peak, a feverish desire to look out upon the sea causing him to be too uneasy where he was, to remain there in consultation with any comfort to himself.  To the Peak, then, everybody repaired, with the exception of Bigelow, Peters, and Jones, who were now regularly stationed at the carronades to watch the entrance of the cove.  In saying everybody, we include not only all the women, but even their children.

So long as the colonists remained on the plain, there was not the smallest danger of anyone of them being seen from the surrounding ocean.  This the woods, and their great elevation, prevented.  Nor was there much danger of the party in the batteries being seen, though so much lower, and necessarily on the side of the cliff, since a strict order had been given to keep out of sight, among the trees, where they could see everything that was going on, without being seen themselves.  But on the naked Peak it was different.  High as it was, a man might be seen from the ocean, if moving about, and the observer was tolerably near by.  Bob had seen Mark, when his attention was drawn to the spot by the report of the latter’s fowling-piece; and the governor had often seen Bridget, on the look-out for him, as he left the island, though her fluttering dress probably made her a more conspicuous object than most persons would have been.  From all this, then, the importance of directing the movements of the party that followed him became apparent to Mark, who took his measures accordingly.

By the time the governor reached the Peak, having ascended it on its eastern side, so as to keep his person concealed, the hostile fleet was plainly to be seen with the naked eye.  It came on in a tolerably accurate line, or lines, abreast; being three deep, one distant from the other about a cable’s length.  It steered directly for the centre of the island, whereas the cove was much nearer to its northern than to its southern end; and the course showed that the canoes were coming on at random, having nothing in view but the island.