object which might
very well pass for a large building of some kind. The river channel
between us and this island was entirely free of visible obstructions,
and we therefore hoped that, by a little extra exertion, we might
succeed in completing our survey right up to the island, and gaining
possession of it and the hulk--thus achieving the full object of the
expedition--before nightfall.

By the time that we were ready to make a start once more, however, the
canoes had mustered in such numbers that even old Mildmay, who had
hitherto poo-poohed my suggestions as to the possibility of a
contemplated attack, began to look serious, and at last actually went
the length of acknowledging that perhaps there might be mischief brewing
after all. Saint Croix, however, treated the matter lightly, roundly
asserting that the extraordinary gathering was due to nothing more
serious than the native curiosity to behold the unwonted sight of a
white man, and to watch our mysterious operations. There was
undoubtedly a certain degree of probability about this suggestion, and
most unfortunately we gave to it a larger share of credence than the
event justified, shoving off from our sand-bank and resuming our
surveying operations without first adopting those precautionary measures
which prudence obviously dictated.

At two o'clock p.m., by which time we had passed over about three of the
six miles which lay between the sand-bank and our supposed goal, the
French boat being at the time about half a mile astern of us, a loud
shouting arose from one of the largest canoes in the flotilla, her
paddles were suddenly elevated in the air, and the whole fleet with one
accord rapidly closed in between us and the Frenchmen, completely
cutting us off the one from the other.

"Hillo!" exclaimed Mildmay, "what's the meaning of this? Just clap a
round-shot into the carronade there, you Tom, and pitch it well over the
heads of those black rascals. Pull port, back starboard, and slue the
boat round with her nose toward them. That's your sort! Now, Tom, are
you ready there, for'ard? Then well elevate the muzzle and stand by to
fire when I give the word. Hold water, starboard oars, and port oars
pull a stroke; we're pointing straight for the Frenchmen just now. Well
of all; now we're clear, and no chance of hitting our friends. Fire!"

The carronade rang out its report from the bows of the boat, and the
shot went screaming away far over the heads