But there was no need now of keeping quiet and beckoning.

The first shout had aroused everybody inside, and the two ladies and Ralph were already in the passage.

The captain, however, made them keep back, while he and Maka, on their hands and knees, crawled toward the outer opening.
From this point one could see over the plateau, and the uneven ground beyond, down to the beach and the sea; but there was still so little light upon this western slope that at first the captain could not see anything noticeable in the direction in which Maka was pointing.

But in a few moments his mariner eyes asserted themselves, and he saw some black spots on the strip of beach, which seemed to move.

Then he knew they were moving, and moving toward him--coming up to the cave! They were men! "Sit here," said the captain to Maka, and then, with his gun in his hand, he rushed back to the rest of the party.
"They seem to be coming," said he, speaking as calmly as he could, "but we have discovered them in good time, and I shall have some shots at them before they reach here.