t
thinking twice."

"Well, I shall try it," Rupert said quietly. "Hugh can swim as well
as I can, and I'll take him. But can you get me the petards?"

"I dare say I could manage that," Dillon said, entering into the
scheme with all an Irishman's love of excitement. "But don't you
think I could go too, though I can't swim? I could stick tight to
the planks, you know."

"No," Rupert said seriously, "that would not do. We may be
detected, and may have to dive, and all sorts of things. No,
Dillon, it would not do. But if you can get the petards, you will
have the satisfaction of knowing that you have done your share of
the work; and then you might, if you could, ride round in the
evening with my uniform and Hugh's in your valise. If you go on to
the bank half a mile or so below the town, every one will be
watching the assault, and we can get ashore, put on our clothes,
and get back home without a soul being the wiser."

"And suppose you are killed?"

"Pooh, I shall not be killed!" Rupert said. "But I shall leave a
letter, which you can find in the morning if I do not come back,
saying I have undertaken this adventure in hope of benefiting
her Majesty's arms; that I do it without asking permission; but
that I hope that my going beyond my duty will be forgiven, in
consideration that I have died in her Majesty's service."

The next day at two o'clock, Lieutenant Dillon, who had been away
for an hour, beckoned to Rupert that he wanted to speak to him
apart.

"I have seen my cousin Gerald, but he will not let me have the
petards unless he knows for what purpose they are to be used. I
said as much as I could without betraying your intentions, but I
think he guessed them; for he said, 'Look here, Pat, if there is
any fun and adventure on hand, I will make free with her gracious
Majesty's petards, on condition that I am in it.' He's up to fun of
every kind, Gerald is; and can, I know, swim like a fish. What do
you say, shall I tell him?"

"Do, by all means," Rupert said. "I have warned Hugh of what I am
going to do, and he would never forgive me if I did not take him;
but if your cousin will go, all the better, for he will know far
better than I how to fix the petards. You can tell him I shall be
glad to act under his orders; and if it succeeds, and he likes to
let it be known the part which he has played in the matter--which
indeed would seem to be within the scope of his proper duties, he
being an engineer--I shall b