On its south side a flight of granite steps led down to the water: and at the foot of these (the tide being low) Cai Tamblyn waited with his boat.
"I declare my heart's in my mouth," Miss Marty panted, as she took her seat.

Cai directed Scipio to sit amidships, pushed off in silence, and taking the forward thwart, began to pull.
"Now there's a thing," he said after a few strokes with a jerk of his head towards the dark longshore houses, "you don't often see nor hear about outside o' the Bible; a deserted city.

Fine pickings for Boney if he only knew." Miss Marty's thoughts flew back at once to a corner cupboard in the parlour, inlaid with tulips in Dutch marqueterie, and containing the Major's priceless eggshell china.

To be sure, if the French landed, she--weak woman that she was--could not defend this treasure.
But might not the Major blame her for having abandoned it?
"I--I trust," she hazarded, "that our brave fellows have succeeded in their enterprise.

It seemed to me that I heard the sound of distant firing just now." "If they hadn't, miss, they'd ha' been back afore now.