ers, rather excited their jealousy. It tended,
however, but little to raise his spirits, and he began to fear that he
should never again see his friends.

"Cheer up, sir," said Bill, who had constituted himself his special
attendant, "things have mended, and they will mend still more. It's a
dark day when the sun does not shine out; and depend upon it, though the
clouds seem pretty heavy just now, the sun will come out before long."

One day there was an unusual commotion in the village. The negroes were
running about and talking to each other, and the white people especially
wore anxious countenances. Soon afterwards, drums were heard, and a
regiment of militia marched by. For some time, the prisoners could not
ascertain what was taking place, though it was evident that something of
importance was about to occur. The few regulars in the neighbourhood
were seen hurriedly to march away.

Mr Collinson and the other two officers were talking together.

"Hark!" said the former; "that's the sound of a heavy gun!"

Others followed. Eagerly they listened. Some thought that they were
fired at sea, others on shore. At length the excitement of the people,
who had also heard the firing, greatly increased, and they confessed
that an English force had come off the island, and that the English
troops had landed that morning.

"I wish we could manage to get to the top of some hill to see what is
going forward," exclaimed Jack Windy. "Bill, what do you say? We could
get away from these fellows now."

"If Mr Collinson wishes it, I am ready enough to go," answered Bill.

"I am afraid he would say no, if we were to ask him," said Jack. "I
would give anything to find out who is winning the day."

However, the nearest hills were some way off, and, even if they had got
to the top of them, they could not at all tell that they would be able
to see what was taking place. The sound of the firing increased, and it
became very certain that a fierce engagement was going on. The people
about them, however, knew no more than they did, so they could gain no
information.

At length a body of men was seen coming over a pass in the distance.
They were watched anxiously. Who could they be--English or French? On
they came, increasing their speed. As they drew nearer, it was evident
that they were black troops--the same regiment, indeed, which had passed
through the village in the morning. It seemed, from the way they
marched, o