"Quietly, lads," the first lieutenant said.

"Step into the water without splashing.
Then follow me as quickly as you can." The beach was a sandy one, and the footsteps of the sailors were almost noiseless as they stole towards the village.

The place seemed hushed in quiet, but just as they entered the little street a figure standing in the shade of a house rather larger than the rest, stepped forward and challenged, bringing, as he did so, his musket to the present.

An instant later he fired, just as the words, "A Russian sentry," broke from the first lieutenant's lips.

Almost simultaneously three or four other shots were fired at points along the beach.