pon the instant that he hears the explosion of the
guns in the upper battery, after which he must run for his life. I can
see exactly how the thing is to be done, sirs; and if you approve of my
plan we will be starting at once, with your good leave; for it is
already late, and we shall have none too much time for the work which is
to be done."

"You are right, young sir," agreed Bascomb; "time is so valuable now
that we dare waste no more in further discussion; therefore your plan,
which is an excellent one, must serve. I would that I could go in your
stead, for you appear to be already worn-out with fatigue and lack of
sleep; but you have been over the ground already, and know it, therefore
weary though you may be I fear that you must needs go. So pick your
men, sir, as many as you need, remembering that your party must be
strong enough to carry the powder up to the forts; procure from the
gunner all that you require; and get you gone. And may God go with you!
Amen."

Half an hour later the longboat, under Dick's command, and with Stukely
sitting in the stern-sheets beside him, was once more under way and
beating in toward the land under a press of sail, while the _Adventure_,
with all lights out, lay to in the offing, awaiting the signal of the
explosion of the ordnance in the forts to fill away and stand boldly in
toward the harbour. So sorely were they pressed for time that Dick
dared not waste any in the attempt to elude observation by creeping in,
as on the first occasion, behind the island of Baru; he headed as
straight as the wind would allow for the Boca Chica, trusting that he
might be fortunate enough to slip through unobserved in the darkness,
especially as it was now past three o'clock in the morning--and if the
sentinels slept at all at their posts, after the warning to hold
themselves on the alert which they might be supposed to have received
from the authorities, they might be expected to be asleep now. His hope
appeared to be justified; for the longboat slid past the smaller battery
down on the beach, unchallenged, and some five minutes later, grounded
on the sand about a quarter of a mile farther in. Then, silently as
ghosts, the men lowered the sails, leaving the masts standing, and
stepped out on the sand, each bearing his appointed load of powder upon
his shoulder, while Dick and Stukely, with swords drawn, and the former
carrying a coil of quick match wound round his waist, led the way.