The Belle Marie's anchor was raised, and the three vessels moored head and stern across the harbor, a hundred yards from the entrance.

As soon as this was done strong parties were sent ashore from each of the vessels, and six heavy ship's guns that had been landed from some captured vessel were dragged from their place near the storehouse and planted on the heights, so as to sweep the narrow channel.
It was late in the evening before this was finished, and an earthwork thrown up to shelter the men working the guns from musketry fire.

In the meantime the two ships of war had met outside, and again separating cruised several times from end to end of the rocky wall, evidently searching for the entrance through which the privateers they had been pursuing had so suddenly disappeared.

In the morning the French sailors were at work early, and two or three strong chains were fastened across the mouth of the passage.
"Now," the captain of the Belle Marie said exultantly, as he regained the deck of his ship, "we are ready to give them a warm reception.

The boats of all the British cruisers on the station would never force their way through that gap." Ralph had not been called upon to assist in the work of preparation, he and Jacques having done their day's work on the journey to the top of the hill and back.