help that, can I? I am a-growing, and I dare say I could
hit a haystack as well as a good many of our chaps. They ain't all of
them so clever because they are a bit older than I am."

"Well, don't get into a tiff, Punch. This isn't a time to show your
temper."

"Who's a-showing temper? I can't help being a boy. What does he want
to chuck that in a fellow's teeth for?"

"Quiet! Quiet!" said Pen, smiling. "Then I am to tell him that you are
ready to have a shot or two at the enemy?"

"Well, I do call you a pretty comrade!" said the boy indignantly. "I
should have thought you would have said yes at once, instead of
parlyvooing about it like that.--Right, sir!" cried the boy, catching up
his musket, giving it two or three military slaps, and drawing himself
up as if he had just heard the command, "Present arms!"

"_Bon_!" said the smuggler, smiling; and he gave the boy a friendly slap
on the shoulder.

"Ah!" ejaculated Punch, "that's better," as the smuggler now turned away
to speak to a group of his men who were standing keeping watch behind
some rocks a short distance away.--"I say, comrade--you did tell me
once, but I forgetted it--what does _bong_ mean?"

"Good."

"Ho! All right. _Bong_! I shall remember that next time. Fire a few
shots! I am game to go on shooting as long as the cartridges last; and
my box is full. How's yours?"

"Only half," replied Pen.

"Oh, well, fair-play's a jewel; share and share alike. Here, catch
hold. That looks like fair measure. We don't want to count them, do
we?"

"Oh no, that's quite near enough."

"Will we fire a few shots at the French?" continued Punch eagerly. "I
should just think we will! Father always said to me, `Pay your debts,
my boy, as long as the money lasts;' and though it ain't silver and
copper here, it's cartridges and--There! Ain't it rum, comrade? Now, I
wonder whether you feel the same. The very thought of paying has made
the pain in my back come again. I say, how's your leg?"

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

A CAVERNOUS BREAKFAST.

"I say, comrade," whispered Punch; "are we going to begin soon?"

The boys were seated upon a huge block of stone watching the coming and
going of the _contrabandistas_, several of whom formed a group in a nook
of the natural amphitheatre-like chasm in which they had made their
halt.

This seemed to be the entrance to a gully, down which, as they waited,
the lads had seen the smuggler-leader pass to a