and that it was doing no damage.

"Using their light guns only," he heard Colonel Talbot say during a
momentary lull. "They must be short of ammunition."

The morning wore slowly on. From every battery along the mainland and
on the islands, the storm of projectiles yet beat upon Sumter, and,
at intervals, the fort replied, still using the light guns. Once Harry
heard the whistle of a shell over his head, and he ducked automatically,
while the others laughed. Another time, a solid shot sent the dirt
flying in all their faces, stinging like driven sand, but that was the
nearest any missile ever came to them.

Beauregard, after a while, gave an order for the firing to cease,
and the city and harbor rose again, clear and distinct, in the pale
sunlight. The great crowd of people was still there, all watching and
waiting, The fort was battered and torn, but above it still hung the
defiant flag, and there was no offer of surrender.

"Look! Look!" Langdon cried suddenly, reckless of all discipline,
as he pointed a forefinger toward the sea.

Harry saw a column of smoke rising, and defining itself clearly against
the pale blue sky.

"The Yankee fleet!" cried one of the officers, as he put his glasses to
his eyes.

General Beauregard, General Ripley, and officers in every other battery,
also were watching that new column of smoke through glasses. The dark
spire in truth rose from the Baltic, the chief ship of the Union,
having on board the energetic Fox himself, and two hundred soldiers.
But chance and the elements seemed to have conspired against the
secretary. One of his strongest ships had gone to the relief of another
fort further south, others had been scattered by a storm, and the Baltic
had only two sister vessels as she approached, over a rolling gray sea,
the fiery volcano that was once the peaceful harbor of Charleston.

Harry saw the first column of smoke increase to three, and they knew
then that the number of the Union vessels was far less than had been
expected.

"Will they undertake to force the harbor and reach Sumter?" he asked of
Colonel Talbot, who was then in the battery.

"If they do," replied the Colonel, "it will be a case of the most
reckless folly. They would be sunk in short order, as they come right
into the teeth of our guns. The sea itself, is against them. The waves
are rolling worse than ever."

Colonel Talbot knew what he was saying. Vainly the men in Sumter looked
for re