n the direction of the barrier placed across the
river.

For a few seconds the enemy, astounded by the occurrence, ceased firing,
but the English gave them no respite, and both parties immediately again
set to work, battering away at each other. Shot after shot struck the
_Tudor_, but the crew kept up their fire with unabated vigour. Murray
had forgotten all about his forebodings of the previous evening; no
sooner had the schooner blown up, than he saw that the chain being left
unprotected it might easily be cut through, and the steamers would thus
be able to pass up the stream, and open a flanking fire on the fort.

The same idea had occurred to Jack, and he sent Tom on board the
commodore's ship, offering to make the attempt. Murray had, in the
meantime, sent Archy Gordon with a similar offer. Both being accepted,
they pulled away in their gigs towards the chains. Though several shot
came flying by them, and they were exposed to a hot fire of musketry,
they succeeded in reaching the chains. Had the schooner remained, the
attempt would have been hopeless, as her guns with an ample crew had
full command of the spot; but the guns were at the bottom of the river,
and most of her crew had either been blown into the air, or drowned.
Still it was no easy matter to cut through heavy chains. With cold
iron, axes, and hammers, Murray and Jack set to work, and although
bullets were whizzing over them, and every now and then pattered against
the boats, they worked dauntlessly away.

"There is one cut through, at all events," cried Jack, as he succeeded
at length in severing one of the thick links. Murray had unshackled
another; the third, however, still remained; they both worked away at
it, knowing that before it could be cut through the enemy might bring
down some of their flying artillery, and render their position still
more dangerous; besides which, the sooner the ships could get up the
more quickly would the victory be won.

"A few more blows, and we shall do it," cried Murray. He was raising
his arm to strike, when he fell back into the hands of Snatchblock, who
was assisting him.

"Go on, Jack," he exclaimed. "Don't mind me; you will have it through
in another minute."

Jack, though his heart felt very sad at the thoughts of Murray being
badly wounded, or perhaps killed, laboured away with all his might,
assisted by Needham.

"We will do it in a few minutes more," cried Jack, bringing down his axe
with