or I know, that brush is stiff with the enemy.'

'Then why don't they fire at us?'

'A fat lot of good that would be in this light. No, Dave, they know their
job as well as we do, and perhaps better. I shall be pleasantly surprised
if we're allowed to land without opposition.'

But the boat neared the shore, and still there was no sign from those
silent cliffs and thickets. As soon as her bow grated on the shingle, the
men were out of her, wading knee deep to the shore. They were as eager as
terriers. The only anxiety of their officers was lest they should get out
of hand and start before the order to advance was given.

Boat after boat glided up, and men by scores formed up at high tide mark.

'Told you we'd fooled 'em,' whispered Dave. 'This is going to be one o'
your bloodless victories.'

The words were hardly out of his mouth before there was a loud hissing
sound, and right out of the centre of the precipitous slope facing them
something like a gigantic rocket shot high into the air and burst into a
brilliant white flame.

It lit up the whole beach like day, throwing up the long lines of troops
in brilliant relief. Next instant there was a crash of musketry, and
rifles spat fire and lead from a long semicircle behind the spot from
which the star shell had risen.

The man next but one to Ken threw up his arms and dropped without a sound.