as he went. So heavy was the
snowstorm, and consequently so dark was the night, that he could see
nothing of his direction, and was therefore compelled to trust mainly to
chance, in order to arrive safely at the proper spot on the other side.
Above all, he knew he must make no noise. While, under existing
conditions, he had small fear of being observed by the sentries on the
battlements above, yet he had no desire to run any unnecessary risks.

Only let one of them, he argued, entertain the least suspicion of what
was going on below, and farewell to the success of his plans. As events
turned out, he was luckier than he expected to be. Having made better
allowance for the sluggish current than he had imagined, he was at last
rewarded by feeling the further side of the raft grating against the
bank. Next moment his feet touched the bottom, and he knew that he was
at his destination. So far, everything had progressed admirably, but it
was at this point that his real work began. Having reached the security
of the bank, he removed the various articles from the raft, drew it out
of the water, and placed it carefully against the wall. He feared that
if he sent it floating on down stream, it might chance to be observed
from the gates, and thus suspicion be aroused. Then, with as little
noise as possible, he set to work to dig a hole at the foot of the wall;
this finished, he began another one, a short distance further along the
shelving bank. The ground was frozen, and so loud did the ring of the
pick seem upon it that every moment he expected to receive a challenge
from the walls above and to hear a bullet whistle across the water.

In something less than an hour, however, the mines with which he had
been furnished were properly laid, after the fashion in which he had
been instructed by the engineers. Now, if only he could manage to apply
the match to the slow fuses unseen by the enemy, and to make his way
back to the men who were waiting for him on the opposite bank, all
appeared as if it would be well. Using the raft he had brought with him
as a screen, he lit a match and applied it to the fuse. As soon as it
had ignited, he crept along the bank and did the same to the second
mine; then, having reassured himself that both were burning steadily, he
slipped into the water and struck out to join his comrades, and to await
the result of his labours. As he reached the opposite shore the clocks
in the beleagured city struck midnig