im.

"I am convinced," he said, "that if unaided from within, the ships
will have no chance whatever of taking this fortress; but I think that
we may help them. The upper fort, which contains the magazine,
commands the whole of the interior. But its guns do not bear upon the
ships where they are anchored. Probably the place, at present, is
almost deserted. As no one pays any attention to us, I propose, with
Tim Kelly and the ten English sailors, to seize it. We can close the
gate, and discharge the guns upon the defenders of the sea face. We
could not, of course, defend it for five minutes if they attacked us;
but we would threaten to blow up the magazine, if they did so.

"I propose that, tomorrow morning, you four and Hossein shall strip to
your loincloths, and just before it becomes light go along the walls,
and stop up, with pieces of wood, the touch holes of as many of the
cannon as you can. It would not do to use nails, even if we had them.
No one will notice, in the dark, that you are not Mahrattas; and if
you scatter about, you may each manage to close up four or five guns,
at least. It is, I know, a desperate service, and if discovered you
will be instantly killed. But if it succeeds the pirates, scared by
discovering, just as our ships open fire, that a number of their guns
are disabled; while we take them in the rear, from the fort behind,
may not improbably surrender at once. At any rate, it's worth trying;
and I, for one, would rather run the risk of being killed, than be
condemned to pass my life the slave of these pirates, who may at any
moment cut our throats, in case of any reverse happening to them."

The four native officers at once stated their willingness to join in
the plan. Hossein did not consider any reply necessary. With him, it
was a matter of course to do whatever Charlie suggested.

The latter then went into the next casemate, and unfolded his plan to
the sailors, who heartily agreed to make an effort for their liberty.

The fire continued all day unabated; and at nightfall, when a man, as
usual, brought the captives food, he exultingly told them that no
damage whatever had been effected by the guns of the fleet.

In the evening, the party cut a number of pieces of wood; these,
measuring by the cannon in the casemate, they made of just sufficient
size and length to push down, with a slight effort, through the touch
hole. When pushed down to their full length, they touched the interior