One of the Rackbirds, whom in some way the negro had offended, had sworn to kill him before night, and feeling sure that this threat would be carried out, the poor fellow had determined to run away, no matter what the consequences.

He had chosen the way by the ocean, in order that he might jump in and drown himself if he found that he was likely to be overtaken, but apparently his escape had not yet been discovered.
Maka was going on to tell something more about the wicked men, when the captain interrupted him.

"Can this friend of yours speak English ?" he asked.
"Only one, two words," replied Maka.
"Ask him if he knows the name of that band of men." "Yes," said Maka, presently, "he know, but he no can speak it." "Are they called the Rackbirds ?" asked Captain Horn.
The shivering negro had been listening attentively, and now half rose and nodded his head violently, and then began to speak rapidly in African.
"Yes," said Maka, "he says that is name they are called." At this moment Ralph appeared upon the scene, and the second African, whose name was something like Mok, sprang to his feet as if he were about to flee for his life.

But as there was no place to flee to, except into the water or into the arms of Ralph, he stood still, trembling.

A few feet to the left the shelf ended in a precipitous rock, and on the right, as has been said, it gradually descended into the water, the space on which the party stood not being more than twenty feet long and five or six feet wide.