le nearer and took my face in her dear hands
and kissed me on the forehead, and there are no words in the world sweet
enough or sacred enough to interpret my thoughts in that moment. Then
she moved away and made to go towards Lancelot, but even as she did so I
saw him turn and run towards us along the beach. As soon as he joined us
he bade Marjorie go to our hut and blow the horn to bring our people
together. After that she was to wait in her own shelter till he came for
her. She obeyed him unquestioningly, as she always did in those days of
danger, and for a moment Lancelot and I were alone.

'Here they come,' he said very tranquilly. 'See for yourself.' And he
handed the spy-glass to me.

As I put it to my eye he added: 'I can't understand where they get their
rig from.'

Neither could I. As I looked through the glass I could see that two
boats were coming slowly towards us, and that each boat was full of men.
It was surprising enough to see them coming in boats, but it was not
that which had chiefly surprised either Lancelot or me. Our wonder was
caused by the fact that all the men in the boats were clad in scarlet
coats, scarlet coats that looked very bright and clean and new.

'Can these be our men at all?' I asked of Lancelot in amazement. I could
not for the life of me conceive what other men they could be, but the
sight of all those scarlet coats filled me with astonishment.

Lancelot took the spy-glass from me again without replying, and looked
long and patiently at the approaching boats.

'Yes,' he said at last, 'they are our men sure enough, for I see the
face of Jensen among them. But how on earth has he contrived to deck out
all his gang of rascals in the likeness of soldiers?' He paused for a
moment; then added thoughtfully: ''Tis our Providence that the Royal
Christopher lost her cannon. Yonder stronghold would be no better than
so much pasteboard against a couple of the ship's guns.'

We had no time for further converse. The sound of the horn had rallied
our party, and soon the whole of our men were gathered about us, staring
over the sea at those two moving blots of scarlet. I cast an anxious
glance at the face of each man of our little party, and when I had
finished I did not feel anxious any more. I could see by the face of
every man that he meant to fight and to fight his best.

Lancelot lost no time in getting the men into order and in arranging
exactly what was to be done. It was curious, p