you see
yonder; they are practising the embarkation. See the red rockets! There
they go,--three, four, five, six,--that's the signal. In less than half
an hour thirty thousand men will be ready to embark. Mark how they press
on faster and faster! and watch the cavalry, as they dismount and lead
their horses down the steep! See how the boats pull in shore! But, hallo
there! we shall get foul of the gunboats,--already we 've run in too
close. Down helm, my lad; keep the headland yonder on your lee."

As he spoke, the light craft bent over to the breeze, and skipped freely
over the blue water. Each moment wafted us farther away from the bright
scene, and soon a projecting point shut out the whole, save the swell of
the brass bands as it floated on the breeze, and I might have believed
it a mere delusion.

"They practise that manoeuvre often enough to know it well," said the
skipper, "sometimes at daybreak, now at noonday, and again, as we see,
at sunset; and no one knows at what moment the attack that seems a feint
may not turn out to be real. But here we are now alongside; our voyage
is ended."

The anchor plashed from our bow, while a signal was made from the shore
and answered by us; and in an instant we were surrounded with boats.

"Ha, Antoine!" cried a sous-officier in a naval uniform, who sat on the
gunwale of a long eight-oar gig, and touched his hat in recognition of
our skipper; "what news _outre mer_? what are we doing in Ireland?"

"My young friend here must tell you that," replied the skipper,
laughingly, as he laid his hand on my shoulder. "Let me present him to
you: Mr. Burke,--Lieutenant Brevix."

The lieutenant saluted me politely; and then, springing up, he jumped
gayly on board of us, and shook our hands with great appearance of
cordiality.

"They 'll want to see you ashore, Antoine, as soon as may be; there are
despatches going off to-night for Paris, and they 'll be glad to send
the last accounts of the state of the Channel."

"Light winds and no cruisers are all I have to tell them, then," said
the skipper.

The lieutenant now took him aside, and they conversed for some time in
a low tone, during which I occupied myself by watching the sentinels who
paraded incessantly to and fro along a low wooden pier that stretched
out into the sea, and formed, with a promontory at some distance, a
small harbor. Their watch seemed of the most vigilant, if I might judge
from the low but continued cry whi