arkady and the ferals were shrilly calling to one another , wheeling excitedly ; they flung themselves with eagerness on the french dragons : a light scouting party of six , as best laurence could make out among the low-lying clouds , the pcheur the largest of the lot and the rest all light-weights or couriers ; both outnumbered and outweighed , therefore , and reckless to be coming so close to british shores .