e
under its guns lay, not only the schooner, but rising up, with the
tracery of their spars and rigging pencilled against the sky, appeared a
large three-masted ship, either a heavy corvette or a frigate, with
three or four more vessels moored head and stern of her, while the
schooner lay more out, with her guns pointing down the harbour--so that,
to get at her, we should have to pass under the fire of all the rest,
while the guns from the fort above could plunge their fire right down
upon us.

The tide was running strong out of the harbour, and the grey streaks of
dawn were already appearing in the east. These circumstances might be
to our advantage, if we were once in possession of the schooner, but
were at present very much against us. What other officers might have
done in a similar case I am not prepared to say; but Paddy Fitzgerald
was not the man to turn his back on an enemy till he had crossed blades
with him. So on we pulled, rather slowly though, against the current.
I hoped that the enemy had not discovered us, for it seemed as if no
watch even was kept on board the vessels, and that all their crews were
wrapped in sleep.

"Don't be too sure of that," whispered Mr Johnson. "They are not like
heavy-sterned Dutchmen or Russians; these Frenchmen always sleep with
one eye open."

Whether he was right or not I do not know, but just as the boats, all
keeping close together in beautiful order, had got abreast of the lowest
vessel, our eccentric leader, either by accident or on purpose, for the
sake of giving the enemy a better chance of knocking us to pieces, sent
up the rocket right over their heads. The first whiz must have startled
the sleeping watch, and in a few seconds drums were heard beating to
quarters, and officers bawling and shouting, and lights gleaming about
in all directions. The crew of the schooner, too, gave evidence that
they were on the alert, for several shots came flying down the harbour
over our heads. They had not got the range, but they would soon. Mr
Fitzgerald's voice was heard shouting--

"We've awoke them up. Erin go bragh! Hurra, lads! push on!"

A deep voice was heard joining the shout, "For the schooner! The
schooner's our aim!" It was that of McAllister.

On shore, too, and in the fort, there was a great commotion; drums there
also were beating, and officers calling the garrison to the ramparts,
while bright flashes and the rattle of musketry showed that those of t