She did not venture an answer, but running to her own room, fell weeping on the couch.

“After five long years, to return so changed—­so cold—­oh, God, this punishment is greater than I can bear!” she sobbed.

By the middle of the afternoon, the wind changed slightly, shifting to the northeast, and some activity was evinced on board the Xenophon.  Fernando thought longer delay was dangerous.  Captain Lane and his daughter, with all other women and children, were conveyed to the bomb-proof houses, which had been constructed for them.  He was so busy all that day, that he only caught an occasional glimpse of Morgianna.

When night came, the Xenophon had left her moorings, and Fernando predicted she would be brought in broadside to begin the cannonade at daybreak.  He retired to his bed at eleven o’clock and at four Lieutenant Willard came to him and said:  “Captain, the wind has shifted due east.”

“How is the night?”

“Dark and cloudy.”

“Can anything be seen of the Xenophon?”

“No.”

“Send a dozen men to the promontory and build a fire.  The light would show her to us.”

A dozen bold fishermen, who knew the coast well, went out in their boats, hugging the rocky shore until the promontory was gained, and gathering up great heaps of driftwood on the edge of the bluff, set it on fire, and pulled back.

As the flames shot up, they revealed the Xenophon slowly and carefully feeling her way into the bay.  Not a shot was fired, for she was still far away.

Thus the night wore on.  Day began to dawn slowly, and as the first light fell on bay and sea it revealed the dread enemy lying like a monster sea-bird in the bay, not a mile away.

The Xenophon was in no hurry to commence.  She had her prey so that there was no possible chance of escape, and the officers and men ate breakfast and walked about the deck, talking and joking on the work before them.  Through a powerful glass, which Captain Lane furnished him, Fernando recognized Captain Snipes standing on the quarter deck, smoking a cigar.

Fernando had the guns loaded and shotted.  They were sighted and ready when the Xenophon should take the initiative.

“Say, Capen, dat Britisher doan git dis chile no more,” said Job.  “I can’t find my real massa, but, by golly, I’ve saved up fifty dollars to buy a new one, ’fore I go for to be a Britisher agin.”

Before Fernando could answer, Sukey came running along the breastwork and said: 

“Fernando!  Fernando—­he is there!  Captain Snipes is aboard that ship!”

Sukey’s face was deathly white, and his fingers convulsively clutched the air as if grasping at an imaginary throat.

Fernando was standing on the parapet, when a wreath of smoke curled up from the ship’s side, followed by the boom of a heavy gun, and a ball came whizzing through the air, and struck the breastwork.