The dog rushed to the front, and Donagan in his excitement dashed after him.
"Forward!" shouted Evans. "We mustn't leave him to fight them single-handed!"
A moment afterwards they had rejoined Donagan and stood round a corpse in the grass.
"That's Pike!" said Evans. "The scoundrel is stone dead. He's one to you Donagan."
"The others cannot be far off!" said Cross.
"No, my boy, but keep under cover! Down with you! Down!"
There was a third bang, this time from the left. Service, who had not ducked quickly enough, had his forehead grazed by the bullet.
"You are hit!" said Gordon, rushing towards him.
"It's nothing! It's nothing!" said Service. "It is only a scratch!"
It was necessary for the boys to keep together. Pike lay dead between them and Walston and the four men, who were probably posted behind the trees, and Evans and the others, crouching in the bushes, formed a compact group ready for an attack from any side. Suddenly Garnett exclaimed, —
"Where is Briant?"
"I don't see him," said Wilcox.
Briant had disappeared. Fan began to bark loudly and it seemed as though the boy was struggling with one of the pirates.
"Briant! Briant!" shouted Donagan.
And away the boys all ran after the dog. Evans could not keep them back. They ran from tree to tree.
"Look out, Mr. Evans!" shouted Cross, throwing himself flat on the ground.
Instinctively the sailor stooped, as a bullet pinged past a few inches above him.
Rising instantly, he saw one of Walston' s men running off. It was Rock, whom he had missed the night before.
"There's one for you, Rock!" he shouted. Quickly he aimed and fired, and Rock disappeared as suddenly as if the earth had opened under his feet.
