rated in several places, and Harry could see that, in
the position in which they were lying, the faces of both girls were
above the water.

It was useless to speak for their ears were submerged; but a slight
motion from Jeanne responded to a pressure of his arm, and he knew
that she was sensible although she had not made the slightest motion
from the moment the vessel sank. Virginie had not, as he feared
would be the case, recovered her senses with the shock of the
immersion, but lay insensible on his shoulder. He could see by the
movement of Jeanne's lips that she was praying, and he too thanked
God that He had given success to the plan so far, and prayed for
protection to the end.

With every minute that passed, his hopes rose; everything had
answered beyond his expectation. The other victims had apparently
not even noticed what he was doing, and therefore had not, as he
feared might be the case, interfered with his preparations, nor
had any of them striven to gain a hold on the hatchway. The sinking
of the vessels, and the tearing up of the water by the shot, would
render the surface disturbed and broken, and decrease the chances
of the floating hatch attracting attention. After ten minutes had
passed he felt certain that they must be below the point where the
troops were assembled.

The tide was running out strong, for the time for the massacre had
been fixed at an hour which would ensure the bodies being swept down
to sea. Half an hour would, he thought, take them past the bend,
where their friends would be waiting for them. The time seemed
endless, for although Harry felt the coldness of the water but little
for himself, he knew that it must be trying indeed for Jeanne. As
far as he could see her face it was as white as her sister's; but
he had hold of one of her hands now, and knew that she was still
conscious.

At last he heard the sound of oars. It might not be one of the
friendly boats; but the probability was that it was one or other
of them. Had they seen any other fisherman's boat near the point
they would have rowed high up so as to intercept the hatch before
it reached the stranger. Harry could not hear voices; for although
the water had conveyed the sound of the oars a considerable distance,
he could hear no sound in the air.

The oars came nearer and nearer, and by the quickness with which
the strokes followed each other he knew that two boats were at
hand. Then the hatch was suddenly lifted, a