uresque hills, some rising almost directly out
of the water, with fertile valleys, groves, orchards, and vineyards.
Had any number of armed men been in the neighbourhood, they might
greatly have annoyed the boats as they went down. The tide, however,
was with them, and they made rapid progress.

They could still see a cloud of smoke collected over the stores and
vessels they had set on fire, which convinced them that any attempt
which might have been made by the soldiers to extinguish the flames must
have proved unsuccessful. They were pulling along, as has been said, at
a rapid rate, when, in order to take the shortest course, they kept
close round a wooded point on the right bank, the current, which was
very strong, helping them along. Scarcely had they rounded the point
when both boats struck with great force on a rocky ledge, the existence
of which had not been perceived.

"We have made a pretty big hole in our boat, sir," observed Archie.

"Why, the water's running in like a mill-stream! Back all!" cried
Higson; "now pull round the port oars."

The men gave way with all their might. Higson steered the boat to the
shore. The water was almost up to their thwarts before they reached it;
they all leaped out on the bank, or she would have sunk with them.
Green's boat had also received considerable damage, and he, not without
difficulty, followed them.

"We are in a pretty plight," exclaimed Tom; "what are we to do now?"

"Repair the damages as fast as we can, and continue our course," said
Higson.

To do this, however, it was necessary to haul the boats up; as they were
full of water, this was a very difficult matter; they had to tow them
along for some distance to a convenient spot, where the bank, shelving
gently down, enabled them by degrees to get them up and bale the water
out. Should the enemy find them while thus employed they would all be
taken prisoners; Higson felt considerable anxiety on this score, his
only consolation being that they might be exchanged for the commandant
and garrison of the fort. By all working together they first hauled one
boat up and then the other. Though the men got pretty wet in the
operation, Higson and Green and the midshipmen kept tolerably dry.

"I say, Archie, are you not very hungry?" said Tom.

"Yes," answered Archie; "Mr Higson said he would go up to one of the
houses on our way down, and try and get some food; I vote we ask him."

"He has probably forgotte