. They will be too much occupied to give us a thought. Whereas
if I stay here, and they capture the privateers, they might take it
into their heads to come on board and set fire to the lugger;
which, as I am part owner, would be a very serious matter to me."

It was apparent that the privateers had no thought of the brig
returning, at any rate at present, as boats went backwards and
forwards between them and the shore.

"What do you think, Leigh?" his sister asked quietly, as they were
sitting alone together.

"I do not know in the least," he said. "Our best chance is that the
two Frenchmen seem to be so confident that they are safe under the
guns of the fort, that they will take no very great precautions.
One of them mounts eight guns, the other ten, and they ought to be
a match for the brig, even without the forts; for we could see, by
her ports, that she only carries sixteen guns. However, I think
myself that she will very likely have a try at them. It will be a
very dark night, for the sky is overcast and there is no moon."

It was between ten and eleven when, just as they were about to turn
in, the captain ran in.

"Quick, madame, you must hurry on your clothes! I heard a sound
just now that could only be made by a boat. As we are still
aground, I shall bring a boat alongside and land. There is nothing
like being on the safe side!"

The two privateers were lying a quarter of a mile farther out, and
there were still lights burning on board them.

"The fools!" the captain growled, as Leigh and his sister came on
deck; Leigh carrying little Louis, who had been put to bed fully
dressed. Indeed, no time had been lost, for his mother and Leigh
had agreed that it would be better to lie down in their clothes, in
case of an alarm being given.

"The fools!" the captain repeated. "If they had extinguished every
light, as they ought to have done, the boats would have had
difficulty in finding them. Now, they could not miss them if they
tried.

"Now, madame, will you please take your place in the boat with me?
I am sure that there are boats coming along. Of course the oars are
muffled, and there is enough sea on to prevent us hearing the
splash. I think the noise I heard was caused by one of the
stretchers giving way."

Reluctantly Patsey and Leigh took their places in the boat. Just as
they reached the shore, a shout was heard on board one of the
privateers and, a moment later, came the sound of a British cheer.