The boats moved off at once in the direction of the island where the marines had preceded them. Captain Raymond's explanations making all their movements well understood by the young people around him, who thought they had never witnessed so fine a sight as the mimic fight that presently ensued, opened by the marines firing a volley of blank cartridges from the shore, which was immediately replied to by the approaching boats with musketry, howitzers, and Gatling guns.
Soon they reached the shore and landed, the marines meanwhile pouring forth an unceasing fire from behind their breastworks.
A fierce battle followed; there were charges and counter-charges, advances and retreats, men falling as if wounded or killed, and being carried off the field by the stretcher-men.
That last-mentioned sight brought the tears to Gracie's blue eyes, and she asked in tremulous tones, "Are they really hurt or killed, Papa?"
"No, darling," he said, pressing the small hand she had put into his, "it is all pretence, just to teach them what to do in case of actual war."
"Oh, I hope that won't ever come!" she exclaimed, furtively wiping away a tear. "Do you think it will, Papa?"
"Hardly," he said; "but it would be the height of folly not to prepare for such a contingency."
"Hurrah!" cried Max, throwing up his cap, "our side's whipped and the other fellows are retreating!"
"Which do you call our side? And do you mean it _is_ whipped, or _has_ whipped?" asked Rosie, with a laughing glance at the boy's excited face.
But the Captain was speaking again, and Max was too busy listening to him to bestow any notice upon Rosie's questions.
"Yes," the Captain said, "the marines are retreating; the battle is about over. Our side, as Max calls it, you see, is throwing out advance-guards, rear-guards, and flankers."
"To make sure that they have taken the island."
"And what will come next, Captain?" asked Grandma Elsie, who was watching the movements of the troops with as much interest as the children.
"Fortification, doubtless," he replied. "Ah, yes; they are already beginning that work. They must fortify the island in order to be able to hold it."
"By throwing up breastworks, digging rifle-pits, planting guns, and so forth. If you watch closely, you will see what they do."