Wychecombe hastened to the house to light the match, glad of an opportunity to inquire after Mildred; while Dutton produced a priming-horn from a sort of arm-chest that stood near the gun, and put the latter in a condition to be discharged.

The young man was absent but a minute, and when all was ready, he turned towards the admiral, in order to get the signal to proceed.
"Let 'em have it, Mr.Wychecombe," cried Sir Gervaise, smiling; "it will wake Bluewater up; perhaps he may favour us with a broadside, by way of retort." The match was applied, and the report of the gun succeeded.

Then followed a pause of more than a minute; when the fog lifted around the Caesar, the ship that wore a rear-admiral's flag, a flash like lightning was seen glancing in the mist, and then came the bellowing of a piece of heavy ordnance.

Almost at the same instant, three little flags appeared at the mast-head of the Caesar, for previously to quitting his own ship, Sir Gervaise had sent a message to his friend, requesting him to take care of the fleet.

This was the signal to anchor.