the groans and cries that arose from out its bosom. Raoul stopped the
fire, equally from humanity and policy, after a few discharges at the
retreating boats; and the first act of the battle closed.

The breathing time gave both parties a desirable opportunity for
ascertaining in what positions they were left. In the whole, the French
had lost the services of eleven men; all, with the exception of Ithuel's
four, in the ruin. The loss of the English amounted to thirty-three,
including several officers. The master's mate who had commanded the
crippled cutter lay over its stern, flat on his back, with no less than
five musket-balls through his chest. His passage into another state of
existence had been sudden as the flight of the electric spark. Of his
late companions, several were dead also; though most were still enduring
the pain of fractured bones and bruised nerves. The boat itself slowly
touched the rocks, raising fresh cries among the wounded by the agony
they endured from the shocks of rising and falling under the
ground-swell.

Raoul was too deliberate, and too much collected, not to feel his
advantage. Anxious to keep his means of further defence in the best
condition, he directed all the guns to cease, and the damages to be
repaired. Then he went with a party toward the boat that had fallen into
his hands. To encumber himself with prisoners of any sort, in his actual
situation, would have been a capital mistake, but to do this with
wounded men would have been an act of folly. The boat had tourniquets
and other similar appliances in it, and he directed some of the French
to use them on those that wanted them most. He also supplied the parched
lips of the sufferers with water; when, conceiving that his duty was
performed, he gave an order to haul the boat on one side, and to shove
it forcibly out of the line of any coming conflict.

"Halloo, Captain Rule!" called out Ithuel, "you are wrong there. Let the
boat lie where it is, and it will answer a better turn than another
breastwork. The English will scarcely fire through their own wounded."

The look that Raoul cast toward his auxiliary was fierce--even
indignant; but, disregarding the advice, he motioned for his own men to
obey the order he had already given them. Then, as if mindful of
Ithuel's importance, his late timely succor, and the necessity of not
offending him, he walked to the side of the islet nearest to the
felucca, and spoke courteously and cheerfu