Transferring their attention from the figures on the shore to the French fleet, they watched, not without some amount of envy, the rapid disembarkation of the soldiers. But very soon another gun boomed out, and boats dashed from the British men-of-war towards the transports. "Now our turn has come," remarked Phil. "Come along, Tony. We'll get our kit strapped on, and then we shall be ready at any moment." "Pass the word along there for Corporal Western," sounded across the deck at this moment; and, hastily making his canteen fast, Phil shouldered his Minie rifle and stepped up to the adjutant. "Take two men," the latter ordered, "and mount guard over the boxes of ammunition. You will land with them and see them safely stacked out of reach of the water, and remain in charge of them till you are relieved." "I understand, sir," said Phil, saluting smartly by bringing his disengaged hand across to his rifle and striding away. "Tony, I want you," he said, "and we'll take Sam Wilson as well. We're to mount guard over the ammunition." It was the first really responsible charge that Phil had had entrusted to him, and he felt proud of it. Taking Tony and Sam with him, they stacked the boxes which had just been hoisted from the hold, and while one strode up and down in front, the other two sat down and waited for the order to disembark. Soon it came, and the men, who had fallen in, two deep, slowly filed to the gangways. It was a difficult undertaking to disembark so many, but with the help of the sailors the greater part of the work was completed by nightfall. "By Jove, it's really grand to see how those Jack Tars work," remarked Phil. "They have made no end of trips to the shore already, and here they are preparing to tow us." Honest Jack indeed worked like a slave. As if to show his comrade-in-arms what he could do, and that he was master on the sea, he handed each soldier down into the boats as tenderly as if he were a child, remarking: "Now sit down there, matey. It'll soon be over, and this here swell's simply nothing;" or, "Hang on to that there ladder with yer eyebrows. Yer ain't used to these monkey tricks, and I've seen a better man than you let go and get a sousing." Thomas Atkins listened to it all good-humouredly, and took his place obediently, while the sailors pulled the heavy boats and flats ashore. Phil and his charge were taken in a special boat, and on landing the boxes were carried up and stacked in the centre of the camp selected for the Grenadier Guards. By this time the wind had risen, and rain had commenced to fall. "It looks like raining all night, Phil," said Tony ruefully, staring up at the heavy clouds. "It's a fine look-out for us, for there ain't a single tent amongst us."