But as Abner looked in the direction in which the pirate captain gazed, he saw a star still bright in spite of the moonlight.
With his eyes fixed upon this star, the pirate captain now stepped forward, making long strides.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven.
Then he stopped, plunged his right heel in the soft ground, and turned squarely about to the left, so that his broad back was now parallel with a line drawn from the pine tree to the star.
At right angles to this line the pirate now stepped forward, making as before seven long paces.

Then he stopped, dug his heel into the ground, and beckoned to his men.

Up they came running, carrying picks and spades, and with great alacrity they began to dig at the place where the captain had marked with his heel.
It was plain that these pirates were used to making excavations, for it was not long before the hole was so deep that those within it could not be seen.

Then the captain gave an order to cease digging, and he and all the pirates went back to the boat.
For about half an hour,--though Mary thought it was a longer time than that,--those pirates worked very hard carrying great boxes and bags from the boat to the excavation.