Pencroft and Ayrton, although they knew they ran the risk of being cut off, had not left their post, both that they did not wish to show themselves as yet to their assailants, and expose themselves to the "Speedy's" guns, and that they relied on Neb and Gideon Spilett, watching at the mouth of the river, and on Cyrus Harding and Herbert, in ambush among the rocks at the Chimneys.
Pencroff y Ayrton, aunque comprendían que iban a ser flanqueados, no habían dejado su puesto, bien porque no querían todavía mostrarse a los asaltantes exponiéndose a los cañones del Speedy, bien porque contaban con Nab y Gedeón Spilett, que estaban en la desembocadura del río, o con Ciro Smith y Harbert, ocultos entre las rocas de las Chimeneas.