er, and with just sufficient light for them to see
their way, they pulled through the narrow passages between the islands,
completely hidden from the western shore, till they had reached the
large one directly opposite the batteries, the dim outline of which they
could discern between the trees. Just as the boat's bows touched the
oozy bank a loud rustling was heard, and they fully expected that a
jaguar was about to spring upon them. The officers drew their swords to
defend themselves, for had they ventured to fire a musket or pistol they
would have been betrayed. They looked anxiously, not knowing on whom
the animal might spring, when greatly to their relief they saw, not a
jaguar, but a harmless capybara or water-hog, which plunged into the
water and swam to the opposite bank.

The officers now landed, the seniors first stepping on shore, and made
their way over swampy ground, through brushwood, to the opposite or
western shore of the island, directly under the batteries. They
proceeded in silence, crouching down for fear of being perceived, their
object being to ascertain what shelter was to be found for the rocket
battery which it was proposed to plant.

Greatly to their satisfaction, they discovered that nature, or rather
the river itself, when swollen by the rains, had constructed a bank, in
every possible way suited for the object in view; indeed it was such,
that one hundred men, working for a week, could not have thrown up one
to equal it. Everything being thus found as they could wish, they
returned to complete the necessary arrangements. Still, of course, not
a word of the plan was made known on board the fleet, lest by any means
spies might carry it to the ears of Rosas.

The wind was now blowing up the river, so that, even had everything been
ready, the fleet of sailing-vessels could not move.

The next night the rocket party, under the command of Lieutenant
Mackinnon, the originator of the plan, took their departure in the
paddle-box boat of the steamer to which he belonged, consisting of
twelve men of the marine artillery, the same number of seamen, and four
officers.

Jack, though well inured to danger, could not conceal from himself the
risk that must be run, a pistol going off, or the slightest want of
caution of the party, might betray them to the enemy, when boats would
be sent across to attack them. Though they might make a good fight with
their rockets, they would in all probability be