Our various settlements and stations required attention. Falconhurst,
Woodlands, Prospect Hill, Shark and Whale Islands were in turn visited
and set in order. The duty of attending to the island battery fell to
Jack and Franz.
They had been busy all day repairing the flagstaff, rehoisting the
flag, and cleaning and putting into working order the two guns. Evening
was drawing on and our day's work over; the rest of us were strolling
up and down upon the beach enjoying the cool sea breeze. We watched the
lads as they completed their work. They loaded and ran out their guns
and, paddling off with an empty tub in the cajack, placed it out to sea
as a mark for practice. They returned and fired, and the barrel flew in
pieces; with a shout of triumph, they cleaned the guns and ran them in.
Scarcely had they done so when, as though in answer to their shots,
came the sound of three guns booming across the water from the
westward.
We stopped, speechless. Was it fancy? Had we really heard guns from a
strange ship? Or had the boys again fired? No! There were the lads
leaping into their canoe and paddling in hot haste towards us. They,
too, had heard the sound.
A tumult of feelings rushed over us--anxiety, joy, hope, doubt, each in
turn took possession of our minds.
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