see!" cried the captain, and two minutes
later was at the top of the hill, glass in hand.

"Hm! Square rigged, slender built--what say you, Trevor, is she a
Frenchman?"

"More like a Dutchman to my mind, sir."

"Ah, then were we all right, and with a goodly new store of schnapps to
comfort our souls, but my mind misdoubts me. Now let us see if we can
train this saker to command the offing. Boy, run down the hill and fetch
Billington and Master Hopkins. 'T will do no harm, and may--ay, this
minion will sweep the Rock like a new broom. Here, Billington, come on
man and lend me thy bull's neck and shoulders. I would shift the
carriage of this saker. Ho, Hopkins, give us a little help here. There
yeo-ho, men! Again, now then--yeo-ho! Now we have it, now! There, settle
her in place, that's it, there! Now then, Trevor, how about the
Frenchman?"

"She is laying her course for this harbor, Captain. You may see her
without the glass well enow, for she's going about to fetch Beach
Point."

"Is tide high enow to carry her over Brown's Islands, as Champlain
calleth the outer flats?" asked Hopkins, who by fits liked to appear
erudite.

"Ay, 't is full water at noon to-day," replied Trevor, his eye glued to
the glass.

"Now then, now then, here she is making straight into the harbor,"
exclaimed Standish excitedly, and plunging down the hill followed by the
rest, he made signal to Bart Allerton standing expectant at his own door
to sound the "assembly" upon the trumpet which he had learned to manage
with great precision.

Ten minutes later the whole array of fighting men stood steady in their
ranks, with the larger boys hanging in the rear, each carrying a spare
gun, or some other weapon, and all eyes fixed upon the point where the
stranger would appear as she beat her way into the harbor.

Suddenly the captain waved his hand above his head, glancing up at the
Fort where, under the folds of the British standard, stood Trevor,
linstock in hand. Another moment, and out from the hoarse throat of the
saker roared a defiant peal echoing grandly from hill to hill, startling
the savages who covertly watched the arrival of new foes or new friends
as the case might be, and rolling ominously across the waters of the
harbor to demand the name of the intruder.

"They be busy with their ancient-staff," reported Trevor presently, as
he resumed the spy-glass. "There goes the bunting--ha--ay--run boy, and
tell the captain 't is the red