It was agreed that no attack
was likely to be made by the ships, as they would almost certainly be
sunk by the plunging fire of the battery as they came along the
channel; while an assault by the boats would be sheer madness.
"We have only to wait and tire them out," the captain of the schooner
said, rubbing his hands. "The first gale from the north they must run
for shelter, and before they can come back to their station again we
shall be gone. Of course we will load well up beforehand with all that
is really worth taking away, and can let them have the pleasure of
destroying the rest after we have gone."
"They will know all that as well as we do," the captain of La Belle
Marie said. "They will never be fools enough to try and starve us out,
but you are quite mistaken if you think we are out of danger."
"Why, what danger can there be?" the others asked. "We have agreed
they cannot attack us by the channel."
"No, they cannot attack us from the channel, but they can attack us
from somewhere else now they know we are here. They will find some
place where they can land and take us in rear."
An exclamation of dismay broke from the other captains.
"_Sapriste!_ I never thought of that. Of course they can. I have never
examined the coast on the other side, but there must be places where
they could land.
Pages:
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128