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They were employed as gunners, and not only did they serve their guns with a quickness and precision which astonished their assailants, but they stood till some of them were actually bayoneted, with fuzes in their hands; nor was it till their leader was wounded and taken, and they saw themselves deserted on all sides by the soldiers, that they quitted the field.
"Step your mast," I shouted, "and see all ready for hoisting the sail." We waited patiently until we saw that everything was ready on board the cutter; and then Tom and I ignited the fuzes in the three magazines.
From the moment we entered the harbour the militia of the island were called out, many of the guns which commanded our shipping were shotted, and artillerymen with lighted fuzes stood constantly beside them.
Yet, amidst these accumulated horrors, the Lillois not only preserved their courage, but their presence of mind: the rich incited and encouraged the poor; those who were unable to assist with their labour, rewarded with their wealth: the men were employed in endeavouring to extinguish the fire of the buildings, or in preserving their effects; while women and children snatched the opportunity of extinguishing the fuzes of the bombs as soon as they fell, at which they became very daring and dexterous.
"Certingly, sir, by all means," returned Tom; and leading the way to the magazines he pointed out the manner in which the fuzes had been placed, and graphically redescribed the manner in which a terrible catastrophe had been averted.
The tracks across the open up to the front line were rendered specially unpleasant by the pernicious '106' fuzes, with which the enemy's artillery was well supplied.
"Depress those muzzles!" is the growling order. "The whole bank is alive with rebs, and we must shell 'em out before those bridges can be finished." The elevating screws are spun in their beds, the shell fuzes cut down to the very edge.
"But you have taken care to see that the magazines are now all right? that there are no more live fuzes in them?" I exclaimed in considerable alarm. "Ay, ay, sir; never fear for me," answered Tom with a quiet grin. "They are safe enough now, sir; we gave 'em a good overhaul before doing anything else, sir."
The men turned to with a will; the guns were loaded; and I then went with Tom to personally inspect the arrangement of the fuzes.
I can assure you great quantities of warm clothing were dispatched in due course." "Ay, but when?" "I can't give you the exact dates, but we have been advised of their arrival these last few weeks." "Warm clothing in May? A very seasonable provision! But it's all of a piece. How about those fuzes?" "To what do you refer, may I ask?" said Mr.
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