ain body--I might have said they ran as fast as their heels could carry
them--shouting out that the enemy in strong force were pressing hard
upon us. Mr Willis formed the marines in the centre, with the
blue-jackets as flanking parties in readiness to receive the enemy. We
had not long to wait before their dark forms in dense masses could be
seen climbing over the sand-hills, threatening not only our front, but
both our flanks.

"We are outmatched: I suspect we have been outwitted by the rascals,"
said Delisle, who stood near me; "I'll never trust these rebels again."

"I cannot make it out," I answered; "I thought we could have placed
perfect confidence in the word of that old gentleman I met in the
morning."

We had, however, no time to discuss the matter; for every moment the
fire grew heavier, and we saw that we were far outnumbered by the enemy.
Now, under other circumstances, this might have been a matter of little
moment, for, had we advanced, we might have gained an easy victory; but
we at present had nothing to gain by fighting, and should we have found
ourselves caught in a trap, and been compelled to lay down our arms, we
knew that our loss would be very seriously felt by the remainder of our
ships' companies. We therefore, by as heavy fire as we could maintain,
kept the enemy at bay, and retreated in good order to our boats, vowing
vengeance against them for the treachery of which we supposed they had
been guilty. Strange as it may seem, very few of our men were hurt, and
none were killed. The rebels, as is generally the case with unpractised
troops, had fired high, so that most of their shot had gone over our
heads. We embarked with all our casks, and quickly got on board our
ships, expecting next morning to have the satisfaction of battering away
at the town till not a brick should stand to afford shelter to the
treacherous inhabitants.

My first inquiry on getting on board was for Harry Sumner. He had been
going on well, but had frequently asked to see me. Thinking he might be
awake, I went to the side of his cot. He, however, was sleeping. He
looked very pale and thin. A few hours of suffering had altered him
much. I was going away when I heard him whisper my own name. "See,
mother dear, be kind to him; and you, Julia, will love him, for he was
kind to brother Harry. You'll not turn him away when I am gone--gone on
a long, long voyage, you know. You'll love him for my sake, both of
you