o into the
road to the Common, and took our stand on the high ground above the
Boutiques, and as we went Thomas Godfray loaded my pistols for me from his
own flask.

The colours had long since faded out of the sky, and the bank of clouds in
which the sun had set was creeping heavily up the west. Both sky and sea
were gray and shadowy. The sea was flawed with dark blurrs of sudden
squalls, and the waves broke harsh and white on La Grune and Bec du Nez.

The six boats came on with steady venom. They kept well out round Bec du
Nez, and we ran across the broken ground to meet them on the other side of
the Island, and lay down there by the Senechal's orders.

There was always the chance that they were making straight for the French
coast. It would have been well for some of them if they had. That hope died
as they turned inside the Pecheresse rock and came sweeping down towards
Eperquerie landing.

We could see them better now, and estimate our chances. Three of the boats
were of large size, holding ten to twelve men each, and carrying a small
carronade in the bows. The others held six to eight, and they were all as
evil and scowling a set as ever I set eyes on.

"They will try here," said Amice Le Couteur. "I will warn them once not to
land, then do you be ready to fire. Take advantage of the rocks, and let no
man expose himself unnecessarily."

They came thrashing along, with no show of order but much of the spirit
that was in them. There is no dog so ready to snap at anything that offers
as the one that is running from a fight. Their lust for mischief came up to
us in hoarse growls and curses, and tightened our grip on our weapons.

The first boat ground on the shingle, and the next ran in alongside before
the oars were unshipped, and the wind was thick with curses on their
clumsiness. The landing between the rock is a narrow one, and no more than
two could come in at once. The others had to wait outside.

The rascals were beginning to tumble ashore, when Amice Le Couteur stood up
and cried, "Stop there! If you land it is at your peril. We will not have
it."

Those who were landing turned their black faces upwards in surprise, for
they had not seen us. But from one of the waiting boats behind, half a
dozen shots rang out in a sudden blaze of light, and the Senechal fell
back among us, and our men began a hot fire at the boats from behind their
rocks.

I ran to M. Le Couteur, as I had no weapons but a cutlass an