French from saving anything. Between the roaring flames,
the bursting shells, and the whizzing cannon balls, the
three doomed vessels soon became an inferno too hot for
men to stay in. The crews swarmed over the side and
escaped; not, however, without losing a good many of
their number. Then the British concentrated on the only
two remaining vessels, the Prudent and the Bienfaisant.
But the French sailors, with admirable pluck and judgment,
managed to haul them round to a safer berth.

Next day a similar disaster befell the Louisbourg
headquarters. A shell went through the roof of the barracks
at the King's Bastion, burst among the men there, and
set the whole place on fire. As the first tongues of
flame shot up the British concentrated on them. The French
ran to the threatened spot and worked hard, in spite of
the storm of British shot and shell. But nothing was
saved, except Drucour's own quarters. During the confusion
the wind blew some burning debris against the timbers
which protected the nearest casemates from exploding
shells. An alarm was raised among the women and children
inside. A panic followed; and the civilians of both sexes
had their nerves so shaken that they thought of nothing
but surrender on the spot.

Hardly had this excitement been allayed when the main
barracks themselves caught fire. Fortunately they had
been cleared when the other fire had shown how imminent
the danger was to every structure along the walls. The
barracks were in special danger of fire, for they had