ne in the fort we go to."

"You know all about the place, Captain?"

"Pretty well informed on that subject, I believe. Come along. Yes, lad,
I am tolerably well acquainted with Whitehaven. And this morning intend
that Whitehaven shall have a slight inkling of _me_. Come on. Here we
are."

Scaling the walls, the two involuntarily stood for an instant gazing
upon the scene. The gray light of the dawn showed the crowded houses and
thronged ships with a haggard distinctness.

"Spike and hammer, lad;--so,--now follow me along, as I go, and give me
a spike for every cannon. I'll tongue-tie the thunderers. Speak no
more!" and he spiked the first gun. "Be a mute," and he spiked the
second. "Dumbfounder thee," and he spiked the third. And so, on, and on,
and on, Israel following him with the bucket, like a footman, or some
charitable gentleman with a basket of alms.

"There, it is done. D'ye see the fire yet, lad, from the south? I
don't."

"Not a spark, Captain. But day-sparks come on in the east."

"Forked flames into the hounds! What are they about? Quick, let us back
to the first fort; perhaps something has happened, and they are there."

Sure enough, on their return from spiking the cannon, Paul and Israel
found the other boat back, the crew in confusion, their lantern having
burnt out at the very instant they wanted it. By a singular fatality the
other lantern, belonging to Paul's boat, was likewise extinguished. No
tinder-box had been brought. They had no matches but sulphur matches.
Locofocos were not then known.

The day came on apace.

"Captain Paul," said the lieutenant of the second boat, "it is madness
to stay longer. See!" and he pointed to the town, now plainly
discernible in the gray light.

"Traitor, or coward!" howled Paul, "how came the lanterns out? Israel,
my lion, now prove your blood. Get me a light--but one spark!"

"Has any man here a bit of pipe and tobacco in his pocket?" said
Israel.

A sailor quickly produced an old stump of a pipe, with tobacco.

"That will do," and Israel hurried away towards the town.

"What will the loon do with the pipe?" said one. "And where goes he?"
cried another.

"Let him alone," said Paul.

The invader now disposed his whole force so as to retreat at an
instant's warning. Meantime the hardy Israel, long experienced in all
sorts of shifts and emergencies, boldly ventured to procure, from some
inhabitant of Whitehaven, a spark to kindle all Whitehaven's