Musa slightly inclined his head, and, without the faintest change of countenance, withdrew, and walked off by himself.
General Eliot then turned to a small, slight man, in naval uniform, and said, "I have had as much assistance from Captain Curtis as from any officer in the garrison, and Mrs. Curtis fired the first shot of the defence on the 12th of September, the order for firing being, 'Britons, strike home!'"
Archy glanced around, and saw by Captain Curtis's side a pretty, pale-faced woman, holding a little girl of ten years by the hand, and by her blushes and the child's smiles he knew that the lady was Mrs. Curtis. But the next moment the child said something that went to his heart.
"Mamma," she whispered, "when do the sailors mean to give us something to eat? I am so hungry!"
This was more than Archy could stand, and, making for the boat, he very unceremoniously seized a bag of potatoes and was walking off with it, when an officer, superintending the unloading, called out to him, sternly:
"Hold, there! What are you doing with that bag of potatoes?"
"Taking it to feed a half-starved woman and her little girl."
"Put it down. The provisions must be distributed according to orders."
"Unluckily, this case can't wait," answered Archy, making a dash towards the group where Admiral Digby stood.