ppressed laugh was indulged in, till they got so near
the spot that silence was imposed on every one. Hemming's party landed
at the back of the island. They were to lie concealed as near as they
could get to the fort, till the other division threw up a rocket as a
signal that they were attacking, and were discovered by the enemy. Jack
and Murray were in boats close together. The night was very dark. They
could just see that high, rugged, black cliffs towered up above them,
and that they were entering a little cove or harbour, through a narrow
entrance which put them in mind of a huge mouse-trap. The boats had
muffled oars; not a sound was heard; but had any one been on the
lookout, the phosphorescent flashes as the blades touched the water
would have betrayed them. The boats reached some black slippery rocks.
The crews, led by their officers, leaped out, leaving two boat-keepers
in each; and, holding their cutlasses in their teeth, away they
scrambled up the steep and rugged cliffs.

CHAPTER FOUR.

ALAS, POOR PADDY!

The night was very dark: Jack and Murray and their companions, in
perfect silence, climbed up the rugged precipice which formed the
outworks of the island fortress. They knocked their knees and cut their
shins against the sharp points of the rocks, and scratched their hands
and faces with the thorny plants which grew out of the crevices; but,
undeterred by these obstacles, they boldly scrambled on till they saw
some figures moving above them, and a shower of stones came rattling
down on their heads.

"Powder is scarce among the pirates, I suppose, that they treat us in
this way," remarked Jack, as he was nearly knocked over by a stone
striking his shoulder.

"Yes; these Greek heroes are defending their stronghold as the Tyrolese
defended their Alpine homes," answered Murray; "but come along, we shall
soon have them at close quarters."

"Hurrah! the enemy have found us out. Fire the rocket down there
below!" shouted the lieutenant in command. The order was quickly
conveyed to the boat, and up flew a rocket with a loud hiss through the
darkness, its bright stream of light forming a beautiful curve over the
fortress. All necessity for silence was now over, the men shouted and
cheered and cut many a joke at each other's mishaps as they clambered on
up the height, some of them slipping half the way down again, as,
indifferent to danger, they too carelessly attempted to scale unscalable
roc