Now there were but two men in the stern, and the ten rowers bent to their work and were after us.

We could see that they were all armed, and the sun flashed from the bright helms as they rose and fell at the work.
Phelim saw the men cross the island and groaned, fearing that when they found nothing on the beach or in the sand hills they would pass on to the village at once.

But, like ourselves when we first came ashore, they had no knowledge that a village was there, and it was not to be seen as it nestled in its little valley.

So they bided on the shore and watched the chase as it began.
By the time that the big boat was after us in earnest, we had set a full half mile between us and it, owing to the little delay in landing the men.

Then they hailed us again, but though we heard the hail we paid no heed to it.