t
quickly increased in magnitude--bright flames burst forth. "It must be
the old tower itself," he thought, for there was no time to say
anything. The flames increased, and it now became evident that it was
the tower itself; for the whole building was soon wrapped in flames, the
glare reaching far down the harbour, and lighting up the sails of their
vessel.

"We shall be seen and pursued, I'm afraid," cried Paul.

"Seen, or not, we must stand on; and at all events we shall have the
start of them," answered O'Grady. "It's not impossible that they may
think we have perished in the flames. I am sorry, though, for Reuben
Cole's timber toe. Ha! ha! ha! it would have enraged the monsieurs to
find that they had been so completely duped."

All this time the little vessel was gliding out from among a number of
others, and the curious eyes of many persons were glaring at her, who
wondered whither she was going. The probabilities that the midshipmen
and Reuben would be retaken seemed very great.

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

The bold often succeed where the timid fail. The young midshipmen and
their companion, nothing daunted by the dangers which surrounded them,
kept on their course. The flames quickly ascending to the top of the
old tower, sent their ruddy glare far across the ocean; and as their
light fell on the adventurers and their little craft, it occurred to
Paul that their strange, unseamanlike costume would at once betray them.

"The chances are that the Frenchmen have left some jackets in the
after-cabin," he observed; and as he spoke, jumping below, he soon
returned with several garments and hats, with which they quickly dressed
themselves.

"Now we look pretty decent mounseers," observed Reuben, as he eased off
the main-sheet a little. "If we're hailed, you'll have to tell 'em,
Paul--I mean Mr Gerrard--beg pardon--that we're bound for Cherbourg,
and don't like to lose the breeze. It's coming pretty strongish, and if
I could but find a squaresail, for I sees there's a squaresail boom,
we'd make the little craft walk along."

Reuben was in high spirits, and indeed so were the midshipmen, at their
hazardous enterprise having thus far succeeded. Still they were not out
of danger. If it was believed that they had been burnt in the tower,
they would not be pursued, unless the owners of the sloop or the
remainder of her crew on shore should catch sight of her sailing away.
There were still several vessels to pa