d over to England and get as many new ones as you like."

CHAPTER FORTY SIX.

TO CUT AND RUN.

The mate's face lit up in a way that those who knew him had not seen for
months.

"Well done, youngster!" he said, in quite a musical growl. "Splendid!
Here, Poole Reed, you ought to have thought of that."

"How could I?" said the lad. "I never learnt anything about
breech-loading cannon."

"No more you did, my boy," said the skipper; "and we don't want to take
the honour from Mr Burnett. We shall have to do this, sir, but it will
be risky work, and I don't know what to say about letting you go."

"Oh, I don't think that there will be much risk, Captain Reed," said
Fitz nonchalantly. "It only means going very quietly in the dark. It
would be done best from the dinghy, because it's so small."

"And how would you go to work?" said the skipper.

"Oh," said Fitz, "I should arrange to go about two bells, let the dinghy
drift close in under her bows after studying the gunboat well with a
glass, and I think one ought to be able to mount by climbing up the
anchor on the starboard side. If not, by the fore-chains."

"And what about the watch?"

"I've thought about that, sir, and I don't believe that they keep a good
one at all. It won't be like trying to board a gunboat in the British
Navy. Like as not those on deck will be asleep."

"Yes, I think so too," said Poole.

"Well," said the skipper, "I have something of the same sort of idea.
They'd never believe that any one from the schooner would do such a
daring thing. What do you say, Burgess?"

"Same as you do, sir," said the mate gruffly.

"But what do you think would be the great advantage of doing this, Mr
Burnett?" said the skipper.

"The advantage, sir?" replied the middy, staring. "Why, it would be
like drawing a snake's fangs! You wouldn't be afraid of the gunboat
without her gun."

"No," said the skipper thoughtfully, "I don't think I should; and for
certain she'd be spoiled for doing any mischief to Don Ramon's forts."

"Oh yes, father," cried Poole excitedly. "It would turn the tables
completely. You remember what Don Ramon said?"

"What, about the power going with the party who held the gunboat? Well,
it's a pity we can't capture her too."

"Or run her ashore, father."

"What, wreck her? That would be a pity."

"I meant get her ashore so that she'd be helpless for a time."

"Well, now's your time, my boy. It has come to a pre