He saw from the exultation in the faces of the Frenchmen that they considered their position was impregnable, and he shuddered at the thought of the terrible carnage that would ensue if the boats of the English vessels should try to force an entrance.

The following morning a lookout on the cliffs reported that two boats had left the ships and were rowing toward the shore.

On reaching the foot of the cliffs they rowed along abreast at a distance of thirty or forty yards of the shores.

They stopped rowing at the mouth of the entrance, and were suddenly hailed by the captain of the schooner, who was standing on the cliff above.
"If you try to enter," he said, "you will be destroyed at once.

We don't want to harm you if you will leave us alone; but we have guns enough to blow a whole fleet out of water, and will use them if we are driven to it." "Thank you for your warning," a voice shouted back from the boats, and then an order was given, and they rowed back to the ships.
"Well, have you found the place, Lieutenant Pearson ?" the captain of the frigate asked as the young lieutenant stepped on deck.
"Yes, sir, we have found it.