empt was the question. As she could
not move, Captain Headland stood in close enough to ascertain this, and
determined, should her size give him a fair hope of conquest, to attack
her.

The cables were ranged with springs ready for anchoring, and the ship
cleared for action. All on board eagerly hoped that they might have
work to do, and every telescope was turned towards the stranger.

The _Thisbe_ had hoisted French colours, that her expected antagonist
might not take the alarm, and run on shore to avoid her.

It was at length ascertained that the stranger was a flush deck ship,
and ten guns were counted on the only side visible. Though she was
apparently larger than the _Thisbe_, and more heavily armed, Captain
Headland no longer hesitated, while the master volunteered to take the
ship in among the numerous shoals which guarded the entrance of the
harbour. Taking his station on the fore-yardarm, guided by the colour
of the water, he gave directions to the helmsman how to steer.

The stranger remained quietly at anchor, apparently not suspecting the
character of her visitor.

Harry was amused, as he went from gun to gun, to hear the remarks of
some of the men who saw the French flag flying at the peak of the
corvette.

"I thought our craft was an English ship, and we British tars, and now I
see we be turned into mounseers," said one, cocking his eye at the
tricoloured flag.

"If we be, my boy, we will show yonder ship that the mounseers can fight
their guns as well as British tars for once in a way," remarked another
who stood near him.

"Never you fear, mate, that gay-coloured flag will come down fast enough
before we open fire."

The last speaker was right--the moment to which all were looking forward
was approaching. Every man was at his station. Not a word was now
spoken except by the master as he issued his orders from the yardarm.

The stranger gave no signs that she was aware of the approach of an
enemy.

"We will run alongside and carry her by boarding; it will save our
anchoring, and we shall not injure her spars--an important object, as I
hope we may have to carry her off to sea," observed the captain to his
first lieutenant.

The _Thisbe_ was now within 200 yards of the stranger's bows, when the
master gave notice that there was a shoal ahead extending on either
hand, while on shore a battery was seen commanding the passage, and
several smaller vessels at anchor under it.

Headland i