shot or two from our rifles--"

"Would ensure to either party a victory," interrupted the baronet.
"Yes; that is quite true. But how can we tell which party--if either--
is fighting in the cause of right and justice? We cannot take the part
of either the aggressors or the defenders without a certain lurking
doubt that in so doing we may perhaps be unwittingly giving aid and
encouragement to the evil-doer. My sympathies are, like yours, on the
side of the defenders; but I am afraid we must let them fight it out
unaided."

And fight it out they did in the most gallant manner, the invaded
baffling all attempts on the part of the invaders to get even a small
portion of their force between them and the shore; and finally, by what
looked like a last supreme and desperate effort, putting the foe to
flight, and pursuing him triumphantly and persistently in his retreat,
harassing his rear, cutting off and capturing stragglers, and in every
possible way worrying and annoying him so thoroughly that, to those on
board the _Flying Fish_, it looked unlikely in the extreme that the
attack, whether provoked or not, would ever be repeated.

The combatants had evidently been far too busy to notice the
extraordinary apparition floating in the sky above them; but just as the
battle was about to commence a crowd of women and children, with a few
decrepit old men, had assembled on the beach, seemingly to watch the
conflict; and on bringing the telescopes to bear on these it soon became
apparent, by their gestures and cries of amazement, that they had seen
the ship.

"Yes," said the professor, peering through his telescope, "they see us
undoubtedly, but they can detect neither form nor details. The sun is
immediately behind them, you will observe; consequently, as it is
shining full upon our burnished hull, those people, in the position they
now occupy, will be able to see nothing but a shapeless blaze of
dazzling effulgence, which they will doubtless take as an outward
manifestation of their particular deity's favour, and an indication that
he is present to crown their cause with victory."

And indeed there was plenty of evidence to support this singular
opinion, for the people, though evidently astonished beyond measure,
manifested delight rather than fear at what they saw, stretching out
their hands, palms upward, by way of greeting and salute, whilst many
were seen to hurry away to the village and back, bringing with them
offeri