y made their way, until Fosco, who was standing next to
Gervaise on board the galley, said that the point just ahead marked the
entrance to the inlet. They then stopped rowing until the fire ships
were all close up.

These were, as had previously been arranged, in two lines. Five fishing
boats, each manned by four men and having its small boat in tow behind
it, formed the first line; the three coasters, each with six men at the
oars, and the three other fishing boats, formed the second. The torches
were now lighted. Ralph took his place in the centre boat of the first
line; Gervaise went on board one of the coasters, and the order was
given to the men to row. What wind there was was favourable, blowing
from the northwest, and therefore right into the inlet. Scarcely had the
first boats reached the entrance when a shout was heard.

"Row, men, your hardest now!" Ralph shouted; the Sards bent to their
oars, and the five boats advanced rapidly towards the corsairs. As they
did so, a babel of shouts and cries rose from the dark mass of ships,
which swelled into a tumult of alarm as on Ralph's order, "Throw your
torches into the straw!" a flash of flame leapt up from each boat. Five
more strokes, and they were alongside the two outside ships. As they
crashed heavily into them, the men leapt from their seats and sprang
over into the small boats, threw off the painters, and rowed astern,
opening on either hand to allow the second line of fire ships to pass.
These, by Gervaise's directions, divided, and three bore along on either
side of the corsairs, and then ran in among them, throwing grapnels to
fasten the fire ships alongside. Then, as the flames sprang up from the
holds, the crews betook themselves to their boats, and rowed out of the
inlet.

By the time they reached the galley and prizes, the eleven fire ships
were a mass of flame, which was spreading to the corsairs. Lying packed
together as these were, the confusion was terrible. Numbers of men
endeavoured to push off the fire ships, but it was too late; others
tried to extricate their galleys from the mass, throwing off the
hawsers, and striving with hand and oar to push their vessels out of the
line. As soon as the boats were alongside the galley, the guns of the
four vessels opened fire with grape into the crowded ships, now lit up
by the flames as clearly as at noontide, while the battle cry of the
Order sounded high above the din.

"Nothing can save the ships n