ed to get possession of Monte Video, but, being defeated, Rosas
has since wisely kept to his own side of the river.

"Besides the horsemen, he has managed to get together a good supply of
heavy guns and flying artillery, with which he expects to send us to the
right about, and our business will be to show him that he is mistaken.

"That is all I know of the matter, and I hope I have made it as clear to
your mind as Murray did to mine."

Jack duly received his orders, and the next morning by daybreak the
corvette and brig, in company with a few other vessels, sailed out of
the harbour. They had a quick run to Monte Video, where they fell in
with the English and French squadron, consisting of several steamers and
sailing-vessels.

Soon after their arrival, the ships were ordered to proceed up at once
to Guassu, one of the mouths of the Parana; a heavy gale, however,
coming on, drove the ships back. The midshipmen were, of course, as
eager as any one for the fun, as they called it, which they expected to
meet with, and were much disappointed at the delay which occurred. The
steamers could have gone ahead without them, but as there were only four
in the whole squadron, two English and two French, such a force would
not have been sufficient for the object.

Day after day they had to beat backwards and forwards, a strong westerly
wind blowing in their teeth, giving General Rosas time to complete his
defences.

"Well, there is one satisfaction," exclaimed Desmond. "If we had gone
up at first we might have caught the enemy unprepared, and lost all the
honour and glory we shall now reap in thrashing him."

"As to that, considering that he and his followers are half savages, as
the commodore says, I don't see that there is much honour and glory to
be obtained," observed Tom.

"Faith, now it seems to me that it does not much matter what kind of
people the enemy are, provided they have got arms in their hands, and
don't run away," answered Desmond. "These fellows fight fiercely enough
among themselves, and they are not likely to change when they have got
foreign foes to deal with."

Paddy was not far wrong after all. At length the weather moderated, the
steamers got up their steam and the sailing-vessels hauled their wind
and stood for the westward.

They had proceeded some distance, when down came another pampeiro upon
them, and they were once more disappointed. Still the work was to be
done, and the English and