. The schooner has
rounded the end of the island, and with this breeze will be here in
half an hour. You never can work out in time. Beside, they would see
you come out; and even if you got away, which you couldn't do, they
would come back and capture the depot. We have got to fight for it,
that's evident; and the boats of a fleet could hardly make their way
in here. We had best get the three craft moored with their broadsides
to the entrance. We will blow the boats to tinder if they try to come
in, and then we can load up with all the most valuable goods and slip
out at night-time. That is our only chance."

The captain of the schooner jumped into the boat, and they again rowed
out into the entrance. He saw at once that the other's advice was the
only one to be followed. It would be impossible to beat off the shore
before the schooner came up and while they were talking the frigate
appeared round the other end of the island. They therefore returned
into the harbor. The Belle Marie's anchor was raised, and the three
vessels moored head and stern across the harbor, a hundred yards from
the entrance. As soon as this was done strong parties were sent ashore
from each of the vessels, and six heavy ship's guns that had been
landed from some captured vessel were dragged from their place near
the storehouse and planted on the heights, so as to sweep the narrow
channel.

It was late in the evening before this was finished, and an earthwork
thrown up to shelter the men working the guns from musketry fire. In
the meantime the two ships of war had met outside, and again
separating cruised several times from end to end of the rocky wall,
evidently searching for the entrance through which the privateers they
had been pursuing had so suddenly disappeared. In the morning the
French sailors were at work early, and two or three strong chains were
fastened across the mouth of the passage.

"Now," the captain of the Belle Marie said exultantly, as he regained
the deck of his ship, "we are ready to give them a warm reception. The
boats of all the British cruisers on the station would never force
their way through that gap."

Ralph had not been called upon to assist in the work of preparation,
he and Jacques having done their day's work on the journey to the top
of the hill and back. He saw from the exultation in the faces of the
Frenchmen that they considered their position was impregnable, and he
shuddered at the thought of the terri