THE “SWORD” IN CONFLICT WITH THE TUG 237

for a long time, walking up and down in front of the
Beehive.

When the interview was ended, they went to the newly
made outlet, and entered it, followed by Captain Spade.
Why could I not slip in after them? Why may I not
breathe, if it were only for an instant, the refreshing breeze
of the Atlantic, of which Backcup gets, so to speak, a
the used-up breath ?

From the 26th September to the 10th October.—A fortnight
has passed. Under the direction of Serké and Roch the
bombs have been put together. Then came the mounting
of the discharging carriages. These are merely a sort of
easel with grooves at different inclinations, and they will
be easy to set up on board the £dda, or even on the
platform of the tug when on a level with the water.

So, then, Ker Karraje is about to become lord of the
seas, with his schooner for his whole fleet! No warship
will be able to pass that danger-zone which will keep the
Ebba beyond the range of its guns! Ah! if only my
warning had been picked up. If this pirates’ lair of
Backcup were but known! It would be easy, if not to
destroy, at least starve it out.

October 20th.—To my extreme surprise, this morning,
the tug was not at its usual place. I remember that last
night the elements of its battery were renewed, but I
thought that was merely to put them in readiness. Its
departure, now that the passage is open, means that some
expedition is projected. Certainly M. Roch has not run
short of any of his requisites. Yet we are now in the