not been very sanguine of doing so.

After the crew had been piped up, and Mr Tarwig had mustered them and
gone through the usual duties performed by a first lieutenant--although,
as he observed with one of his comical looks to Norman, he need not get
the decks washed, the rain having done that already--they re-entered
their tent, to which their servants brought fresh water for their
morning ablutions. Fires were lighted, though the wood did not burn at
first very briskly, and the cooks busied themselves in preparing for
breakfast.

The commander on going out of his tent took one glance seaward. "I
feared it would be so," he said, turning away his head. "Now, Mr
Tarwig, we'll get our fort under way."

"It would be a hard matter to do that, sir," answered the first
lieutenant, screwing up his mouth, with a twinkle in his eye, "seeing it
is not built yet."

The commander, who knew he was fond of a joke, laughed, and desired to
be shown the proposed site. On inspecting it, he highly approved of the
spot selected.

Immediately breakfast was over, all hands were ordered to man the guns
and commence the work of dragging them up the hill. One at a time,
however, only could be moved, till it was got near enough to a stout
tree to which a tackle could be fixed, and the seamen then ran it up the
steepest part of the ascent with surprising rapidity.

Before the day was over half the guns were placed in position, and by
means of stout shears, which were erected on the hill, were hoisted on
their carriages. The rest were allowed to remain where they were till
the embankments were thrown up. The smith and his mates, with such
hands as he required, had put up a forge, and he and the carpenters had
been busily engaged manufacturing pickaxes and spades. With such as had
been finished the men were the next day set to work on the trenches,
some being employed in cutting down trees to serve for the woodwork
which was required. Eighty men were engaged in these operations, and it
seemed extraordinary how much that number of willing hands could get
through, the officers all labouring away to set them the example.

The commander was well pleased as he surveyed the work. "We shall be
able to give a fair account of an enemy should one attack us before many
days are over," he observed to Mr Tarwig. "I think it very probable,
should the Spaniards find out we are here, that they will not let us
alone, as they will fancy that for