"
Marcel entered the cave with an expressive gesture, for long habit had
almost robbed him of his native vivacity. His companion, Domingo,
climbed the opposite wall of the ravine and stretched himself at full
length in a niche where there was room for a man to lie. Some tufts of
rough grass grew there in sufficient density to conceal his head while
he peered between the stalks. They could see him quite plainly, but no
one wanted to speak. Though the unceasing wash of a heavy swell
against the rocks would have drowned the noise had they shouted in
unison, there was no need to tell anyone present that a very real and
dangerous crisis had arrived. The slow change in the direction of
Domingo's gaze showed the approach and passing of the hostile vessel.
It was evident that a long halt was made in the channel close to the
wreck, of which some fragments remained above water. Still, curiously
enough, it was impossible for those on board the launch to read the
ship's name, since the word "_Andromeda_," twice embossed on the sharp
cut-water, was hidden by the jutting rocks on both sides of the cleft.
But it was not the fear of instant death following on the discovery
that the Grand-pere islet was inhabited that kept tongues mute and ears
on the alert during a quarter of an hour that seemed to be protracted
to a quarter of a day.
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