Page:Helen Leah Reed - Napoleons young neighbour.djvu/33

Rh would never dare hurt any one on this island, especially an Englishman. Don't worry. Papa will come home safely enough, but I wish he would hurry, so we could hear all about the wretch."

Later in the day the children gathered eagerly around their father, who had returned from his visit to the ships.

"Oh, papa, what was he like?" asked each in turn.

"Who, Napoleon?"

"Of course. We wish to hear about him. Didn't you see him? Didn't you see anybody there?"

"I could hardly visit a fleet without seeing some one."

"Is it a large fleet?"

'Yes, it would be called large in any part of the world."

"How large is it?"

"Besides the Northumberland there are several other men-of-war, and the transports with the Fifty-third Regiment."

"But did you see Napoleon?" asked one of the children, returning to the subject of greatest interest.