outh of the gap, and reported that two men-of-war were to be seen
in the distance cruising close inshore. Mr. Farrance landed, and with
difficulty made his way up the hill to a point near the mouth of the
opening, which commanded a view over the sea. From that point he could
easily see the hulls of the ships with his telescope, and had no doubt
whatever that they were the former antagonists of the _Furious_. After
watching for some time he made out four little black specks very close to
the shore. He examined them closely and then hurried down to the cove.

"They are searching the coast with boats," he reported, "as I feared they
would."

The news had been given to the little party at the battery as the dug-out
came in, and they were at once on the alert. The carpenters, who after the
departure of their first boat had been employed in building a large gig to
pull twelve oars, were at once recalled to the ship, and the magazines
were opened and the guns loaded. All the guns from the larboard main deck
had been brought up to the upper deck and port-holes made for them, and a
boom of trees had been built from the bow and stern of the ship to the
shore, so as to prevent any craft from getting inside her. Thus prepared,
the captain considered that he was fully a match for any two ships of his
own size, but he knew, nevertheless, that, even if he beat them off, he
might be exposed to attack from a still larger force unless assistance
arrived from Jamaica.

But he did not think only of the ship. The dug-out, which had brought Mr.
Farrance back with his report, was at once sent off with orders to the
party at the battery that they must, if possible, sink any boat or boats
that entered, but that if ships of war came in they must not try to work
their gun after the first shot, as if they did so they would simply be
swept away by the enemy's fire. That one shot was to be aimed at the
enemy's rudder; then they were to lie down, and if they had not disabled
the ship they were to keep up a heavy musketry fire, aimed solely against
her steersman. It was hardly likely that they would be attacked by boats,
as the enemy would be fully engaged with the _Furious_; but even if they
should, the Frenchmen would have no means of climbing the eight feet of
precipitous rock.

The dug-out went to and from the entrance, bringing back news of the
progress made by the enemy's boats. About three hours from the time when
they had first been made ou