had been
faithful, and Morton managed so well that it was close upon sunset
before the "Osterley" got inside the reefs. It would have been anxious
work to carry a ship, in the uncertain light which still remained, among
those numerous rocks and shoals, even with a friendly port in which to
drop her anchor. Ronald, with the old man by his side, stood conning
the ship, while two seamen with sharp eyes were placed at the end of the
jib-boom, and others at the fore yardarms, to give notice of any danger
they might discover.

"There'll be no use keeping the lead going, sir," said Old Doull. "You
may get a cast of twenty fathom, and the next moment have the ship's
bows hard and fast."

Ronald knew that this was the case, nor did it decrease his anxiety.
Steady hands were at the helm. The seamen were at their stations to
trim or shorten sail. The Indiaman glided onward. She was already
inside the reefs, and the heaving motion of the ocean was no longer
felt. Hills clothed with verdure rose close before them, the shore on
either side, fringed with cocoa-nut trees, seen here and there over the
yellow beach rising against the deep blue sky. The forts, too, could be
made out, though thrown into shade in the centre of the landscape, as
the ship, boldly guided by the old seaman to a berth, dropped her
anchor. The carpenter had been busily employed all day in constructing
a canoe. It was forthwith lowered noiselessly into the water, and Doull
and his son stepping into it, paddled away to the shore, keeping,
however, as far off as possible from the forts.

"That man can be trusted," observed Ronald to Glover, though the words
implied a doubt of the fact.

"At all events we must trust him, sir," answered the midshipman; "that
is very clear."

After waiting for some time, and no one appearing from the shore, the
boats were lowered without noise into the water, and at once manned. By
this time the dim outline of the shores of the bay could alone be seen.
Morton took command of one, Glover of another, and the boatswain of the
frigate of a third. Sims remained on board in charge of the ship. The
Indiaman's boats followed with a midshipman in each, so that there were
six altogether.

There were three forts, and it was arranged that two boats' crews should
simultaneously attack each of them. The oars were muffled, and away the
flotilla glided from the side of the big ship, as Glover observed to the
midshipman with him,