of the storehouses. We will drag up eight of
the schooner's guns and mount two on each battery; they shall be loaded
and crammed to the muzzle with grape-shot. The batteries shall be built
clear of the storehouses and in echelon, so that if one is attacked it can
be supported by the others. As a garrison I will leave sixteen men under
Dimchurch."

Dimchurch was called up and the matter explained to him, and he readily
agreed to take charge.

"Two men," he said, "can be on watch in each battery while the others
sleep; so there will be no chance of being taken by surprise, and you may
be quite sure that, no matter how strong a mob may come down, they won't
stand the discharge of eight cannon loaded as you say. I suppose, sir, you
mean to form the batteries of bales of cotton. There is a whole ship-load
of them."

"That is my intention, Dimchurch; I have had it in my mind all the time."

The whole strength of the crew, with the exception of two to watch on
board the cutter, now went up to the storehouses, and the men, delighted
to know that all this booty was not to be lost, set to work with great
vigour. Will marked out the sites for the batteries, and the bales of
cotton were rolled to them and built up into substantial walls. It took
ten days of hard labour to do this and haul up the guns.

When the work was completed Dimchurch chose sixteen of the crew. There was
an ample supply of provisions, which had been taken out of the huts before
they were burnt; so it was not necessary to draw upon the stores of the
cutter. When all was ready the two parties said good-bye, and, with a
mutual cheer, the cutter's crew went on board.

"It is a hazardous business, I admit," Will said, as, having got up sail,
they moved down the inlet with the schooner in tow. "Of course I shall be
a little uneasy until we can return from Jamaica and relieve Dimchurch;
but I feel convinced that he will be able to hold his own and to give
another lesson to the pirates if necessary. When they see us sail out they
will naturally conclude that no great number can be left to guard the
stores. Still, we may be sure that they have kept a watch on our doings
from the edge of the forest, and that the sight of the guns will inspire a
wholesome dread in them. I cannot but think that eight discharges of grape
and langrage will send them to the right-about however strong they may be.
Besides, we have given the men three muskets each, in addition to their
o