ttleship seemed very anxious about me.

"I wish that an older man had been sent, Paddy," he said; "and I'm
ashamed of myself that I don't understand French, or I might have been
employed in the service. I envy you for the opportunity you have of
distinguishing yourself."

"I don't see that I shall have much to boast of, having only to creep
along in the dark up to the fort and back again. There's no great
difficulty in the undertaking, besides having to keep out of the way of
the French pickets."

"It's not so much what you have to do, as the object to be attained, and
the danger of doing it, which will bring credit on you," he answered.

It was perfectly dark before we reached the place which had been fixed
on for landing, so that we ran no risk of being observed from the shore.
It was arranged that Nettleship was to wait off it until I made the
signal for him to come in and take me aboard. Not a word was spoken as
Larry and I stepped on to the beach, he carrying the signals and I the
book and the admiral's letter. We kept first to our right till we found
a path leading inland through a wood. We went on as rapidly as the
nature of the ground would allow. The snake-like roots ran across the
path, and creepers hung low down in festoons, forming nooses, which
might have brought us sharply up if we had run our heads into them. Now
and then I fancied that I saw a huge snake winding its way along before
me; and tree-frogs, crickets, and other nocturnal insects, kept up a
noisy chorus as we went on. Sometimes it was so dark that it was with
the greatest difficulty I could make my way with the stick I carried. I
was very glad when, getting out of the wood, we found ourselves on the
borders of a sugar-cane plantation. This I knew I should have to skirt
till I reached another path leading almost directly up to the fort.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

THE LAST OF THE "LIFFY."

We had proceeded some distance when the voice of a sentry hailing a
passer-by struck my ear. The challenge was in French, as was the
answer. It appeared to be some way off, and I hoped might come from one
of the extreme outposts. Still I knew that it was necessary to proceed
with caution, or we might suddenly find ourselves close upon another.
We went on and on, occasionally stopping to listen. No other sounds
besides those of noisy insects broke the silence of night. Already we
could see the top of Brimstone Hill rising against the dark sky