"Charnace can keep that up as long as he likes," he cried. "It won't
do us any harm, and it's wasting his powder."

The boy was in the highest spirits. Not a whit dismayed by the roar of
the cannon or the crashing of the balls against the ramparts, he stood
beside his aunt in the bastion, where she directed the firing as calmly
as though it were only some household task, or sped away to the other
parts of the fort to see how Joe and Jean were getting on and to
encourage them with cheering messages.

The heroic spirit which animated Madame La Tour had communicated itself
to the whole garrison, and there was not a man who did not feel
prepared to fight to the last gasp rather than surrender to the hated
Charnace.

As the cannonading went on, the damage done to the fort was trifling,
while the ships were suffering severely. The number of killed and
wounded grew rapidly, and the vessels themselves were becoming so
riddled with shot as to be in danger of sinking.

At last Charnace's situation became intolerable, and, consumed with
futile rage, he gave the order to retreat.

But this was not so easily carried out. The wind had shifted during
the fight, and now blew strongly from the east, so that the ships could
not get out of range without warping, and while this slow method of
movement was being resorted to, the fort guns continued their
bombardment, inflicting further damage.

At last, with great difficulty, and the loss of many men, the three
vessels were got around Bruyeres Point, and there run aground to
prevent them from sinking.

Raoul, accompanied by Joe, set off from the fort to follow the ships as
soon as they withdrew, and shouted gleefully after them:

"Ho, ho! Monsieur Charnace. Your spies did not do you much good, did
they? Surely you've learned a lesson this time, and will mind your own
business in future."

When he saw the ships run aground, he hurried back to the fort, and
actually had the hardihood to suggest to his aunt that a party, which
he offered to lead, should be sent out at midnight to try and set the
ships on fire ere they were floated again.

But Madame wisely refused to sanction any such rash enterprise.

"Charnace will not trouble us any more for the present," she said.
"Let him alone; as soon as his ships are repaired he will depart."

And so it proved. The holes having been hastily caulked, Charnace,
profoundly chagrined, yet grimly determined to try again, returned to
hi