"Can there be any other place where they could land?"
"No," said Syd, "I feel sure not."
"Then why are they so long?"
"Don't know the rock, and they are rowing to search all round for a
place, the same as we did."
Still the long-drawn-out space of time went slowly, and doubts began to
intrude which made Syd glance anxiously up to right and left, as he
thought how helpless they would be should they be taken in rear or
flank.
"Make a good fight for it all the same," said Roylance, who read his
looks. "But I don't see how they could land anywhere round the rock
without men on the cliff top to help them."
"Terry would not do that," thought Syd, and he glanced sharply round to
gaze above him at the upper gun.
He blushed at the thought, as he saw the young officer there, evidently
engaged in looking out to sea.
"Think the man up yonder by the flagstaff can see them?" said Roylance,
after another weary wait.
Sydney shook his head.
"I say, oughtn't we to hoist the colours, Belton?"
"Rogers will run them up when I make him a signal. We don't want to
challenge them to fight, only to defend the rock against all comers."
"Gettin' hungry, mate?" whispered one of the men to the lad next him.
"No: why?"
"'Cause this side o' me's 'most done."
There was a laugh.
"Silence!" cried Syd, and then in the same breath, "Here they are!"
For the bows of the frigate's boat, which had been right round the rock,
suddenly appeared from the left with one of the officers standing up in
the stern-sheets; and as they came on he suddenly pointed toward the
natural pier, and the men, who had just been dipping their oars lightly,
gave way.
As they came on the party in the little battery could see the French
officers searching the opening with their eyes, and eagerly talking
together; but they did not hesitate, apparently not realising that the
place had been put in a state of defence, for the gun was drawn back,
and the embrasure was of so rugged a construction that it did not
resemble the production of a military engineer.
They ran their boat close alongside of the little pier, and one of the
officers was about to spring out, when Syd shouted forth deeply as he
could, as he stood on the breastwork.
"Hallo!"
The officer looked up sharply, smiled, waved his hand, gave an order to
the sailors in the boat, and a dozen well-armed men sprang out.
"_Halte_!" shouted Syd again.
"_Aha_!" cried the French officer, leading his men forward. "_Nous
sommes des amis_."
"Oh, _etes-vous_?" cried Syd. "I dare say you are, but you can't land
here. Back to your boat. _Allez-vous-en_!"
"_Mais non_!" said the French officer politely, and he still came on,
smiling.
"This rock belong to his Britannic Majesty, the King of England.
_Waistcoat a nous, Monsieur. Allez-vous-en_."
"_Mais non_," said the French officer. "_En avant_!"
"_Nous allons donner le feu_--Fire at you--Fire!" shouted Syd, and he
leaped backward into the fort perfectly astounded. For Strake did not
understand French, but he thoroughly comprehended English, and as he
heard his commanding officer say _fire_! and then more loudly, _fire_!
he clapped his slow match to the touch-hole of the cannon, whose mouth
was about a foot from the embrasure; there was a burst of flame and
smoke, a deafening roar which threatened to bring down the rocks to
right and left, and as Syd looked through the smoke he could see the
French officer and his men running back to the boat.
"Strake, you shouldn't have fired," he cried, excitedly.
"You give orders," growled the boatswain; "and there was no time to
haim. Shot went skipping out to sea.--Be smart, my lads," he continued,
as the men who had sprung to their places wielded sponge and rammer, and
this time ran the gun out so that its muzzle showed over the rough
parapet.
By this time Syd had made a sign, and Rogers quickly ran the colours up
the flagstaff, where they were blown out fully by the breeze.
"Don't find fault," whispered Roylance, wiping the tears from his eyes.
"What a game! See that little French officer fall down?"
"No."
"He caught his foot in a stone. Look at them now."
Syd looked down at where on the pier the French officers were
gesticulating and talking loudly; the gist of their debate being, should
they try to take the battery or put off, and the majority seemed to be
in favour of the latter proceeding. For as they eagerly scanned the
little battery they could see now the frowning muzzle of the gun, and
the heads of a number of English sailors apparently ready to fire again,
this time probably with better effect.
One officer seemed to be for coming on. The other thought evidently
that discretion was the better part of valour, for he looked up at the
colours on the flagstaff, then down at the battery, and then finally
gave orders to the men to re-embark. But this was too much for the
spirit of the other, who after a few sharp words took out a white
handkerchief, tied it to the blade of his sword, and held it up,
advancing with it in his hand till he was just below the gun, and at the
foot of the cliff wall.
"Messieurs," he said, politely, "I speak not ze Angleesh as you do. I
you make me understand?"
"_Oui_--yes," said Syd, who had again mounted the rough wall.
"It is good," said the French officer. "You make fire upon us. Yes?"
"Yes; we fired."
"You--you teach me yourself, vat ze diable you make here?"
"We hold this place as a possession of the King of England," replied
Sydney. "Can you understand?"
"_Parfaitement_, sare. Zen I tell you I go back to my sheep, and me
come and blow you all avay. _Au revoir_!"
"_Au revoir_, Monsieur," said Syd, exchanging bows with the French
officer, who went back to the boat, sprang on board, the men pushed off,
and the little garrison gave them a cheer.
"Thank goodness that's over," said Syd, taking off his hat to wipe his
brow, as he leaped back into the battery.
"Over?" said Roylance, "not till they have been back and blown us all
away."
"Beg pardon, sir," said the boatswain, "but I 'member now nuff of my old
work years ago to be able to send a round shot right through that there
boat, if you'll give the word."
"No, no, Strake.--There, you keep your men ready in case they do come
back, Roy," whispered Syd; "I'll go up and report matters to Mr
Dallas."