ecomes untenable; and now you must keep yourself and men
hidden, and the gun drawn back."

"What for?" said Terry, with asinine obstinacy.

"I cannot stop to explain why."

"But I insist, sir. Am I to play the part of coward without having the
privilege of knowing why such a distasteful course is to be adopted? I
am sure if Mr Dallas knew--"

"Do as you're told, sir," cried Syd, warmly. "Not a man is to be seen.
Run that gun in, my lads."

Then, as the order was obeyed, much to Terry's disgust, Syd said
quietly--

"The men are to keep out of sight, so that the French ship may pass on.
You understand?"

"Oh, yes: I understand," sneered Terry, as Syd went away, and then crept
up under the shelter of the side of one of the rifts to the flagstaff,
where he lay down beside the watch and opened his glass, so that he was
able to examine the coming vessel at his ease.

Twenty-eight guns he counted, and as he kept on watching he could even
see the movements of the men on deck. All calm and quiet there; the men
in knots, the officers seated, or leaning over the side. There could be
no doubt about it; the man-of-war was on a peaceable mission, as far as
the rock was concerned, and would pass on.

Once or twice Sydney saw an officer glance in his direction, but only to
turn away again. But he made no report to any one else, and the frigate
sailed on in the hot evening sunshine.

Syd felt his spirits rise. He had proved himself to be no coward,
though he shrank from the awful responsibility of giving orders or
committing acts which might cause the shedding of blood. The Frenchman
was sailing steadily on, and the lad drew his breath more freely, as he
said, almost unconsciously, to the man watching by his side--

"There'll be no fighting, my lad."

"Well, sir," replied the man, who happened to be Rogers, "I dunno as I
want to fight. If I'm told to, course I shall, but it takes a lot with
me to get my monkey up; and I'd rather look like a coward any day than
have to fire at a man or give him a chop with my cutlash."

"Quite right, Rogers. I don't think those who bounce most are the
bravest. How bright and clean it looks on board ship! I wonder how
soon the _Sirius_ will come back. Ah, there she goes," he continued, as
he used the glass, "sailing straight away for Saint Jacques; one could
almost like to be in her for a change. Hallo!"

He looked eagerly through his glass at the passing ship, and became
s