h two high, tall mast, that we all see here when she come in ze
storm yesterday. We all here with ze officer of ze regiment see you
come in through ze storm, and ze enemy sheep, a stranger, come after,
and ze officer say she will run you down and sink you in ze harbour!"

"Oh, that one!" cried Rodd excitedly.

"Ah, I see, monsieur knows. You see her lights swing in the wind--two;"
and the man held up a couple of fingers.

"Yes, I see where you mean," cried Rodd; "but she has only one light."

"Ah, ha! Monsieur is right. Zare is only one. Ze vind storm has blow
out ze uzzer. Look, now zare is no light at all. Ze sheep put im out."

The violence of the rain was now abating, but the wind beat against and
shook the window-panes and shrieked as it rushed by. It was evening,
and a few minutes before it had been dark as night, but with the
cessation of the rain the heavy forms and light rigging of the many
vessels gradually became more and more visible, while fresh lights began
to come into view, but in every case not moving and swinging about like
those in the rigging of the safely moored ships, but gliding about from
various directions as if they were in the sterns of boats that had put
off from the harbour side.

"Messieurs see?" said the waiter excitedly. "Two boats come now from
the fort on ze uzzer side. Look, look! Ze lights shine on ze soldiers'
bayonet. They go to take ze sheep."

As the man was speaking the brig that had previously taken up so much of
Rodd's attention stood out more clearly. Her riding lights were indeed
gone, but there was a peculiar misty look forward, and it was now Rodd's
turn to speak excitedly about what he saw.

"Why, uncle," he cried, "she's moving! They've slipped their cable and
hoisted the jib!"

"Nonsense, boy! Not in a storm like this."

"I don't care, uncle; she has. Look; you can see her gliding along."

"Impossible!"

"It isn't, uncle. Look, you can see them plainly now; two boats full of
men, and they are rowing hard, but getting no nearer to the brig. Here,
I want to see; let's get right down to the harbour."

"What, to get wet again?" cried Uncle Paul.

"It doesn't rain now a drop. There's nothing but wind; and look, look;
the people are running down now in crowds, and there goes a company of
soldiers at the double. Oh, there's going to be something very
exciting, uncle, and we must see."

"But the dinner, boy, the dinner! What is this to us?"