ing forward, shouted out
that they surrendered. Brown, not understanding his object, still
charged on, and whisking his sword out of his hand, would have run him
through had he not slipped and fallen, while the rest of the party,
supposing he had been killed, retreated out of the way of the bold
seaman.

"Get up, old fellow, and defend yourself," cried Brown. "I'm not the
chap to strike a man when he's down;" and as he spoke he picked up the
officer's sword, and, helping him to his feet, presented it to him. All
this was done so rapidly that Rayner and his companions arrived only
just in time to prevent Brown, who had stepped back a few paces, from
making a lunge with his bayonet at the astonished Frenchman, who, now
seeing an officer, though he did not recognise Rayner, again cried out
that he surrendered, and skipping out of Brown's way offered his sword.

The rest of the garrison, seeing the storming party, who had now swept
round, coming towards them, threw down their arms, and cried for
quarter, while the officers, amongst whom were Captain Dupuis and
Sergeant Gabot, presented their swords to Rayner and Oliver. They,
turning round, had the satisfaction of greeting Lieutenant Horrocks and
other officers of the _Lily_ and _Ariel_.

"Glad to see you, Rayner and Crofton. We all thought you were dead. No
time to ask how you escaped. We've got to take those two other forts.
If you like you can come with us. Crofton, you can take charge of the
prisoners. I'll leave Sergeant Maloney and a dozen men with you. The
rest follow me."

Saying this, the first lieutenant of the _Lily_ led his men on to the
attack of the other fort still engaged with the _Ariel_, Rushing on,
they were up to the rear of it before the garrison were aware of the
capture of the larger fort. By a sudden dash it was taken as the former
had been, the _British_ not losing a single man, though several of its
defenders, attempting to stand their ground, were cut down. A rocket
let off the moment they were in was the signal to the _Ariel_ to cease
firing.

The third fort higher up, towards which she had hitherto only
occasionally fired a gun, now engaged her entire attention.

The increasing light showed the garrison the _British_ flags flying
above the ramparts of the two other forts, yet they showed no signs of
giving in. Though the guns were well placed for defence on the west
side, the rear offered a weak point.

Without halting, Lie