"I am sure of it!" he exclaimed suddenly. "One of them is waving his
handkerchief, or a bit of rag of some sort. It must be the young
gentlemen!"

Jack and Terence brought their glasses to bear on the spot. The pinnace
towing astern was hauled up alongside. Terence and Needham jumped into
her with a ready crew. Just as she was shoving off a party of artillery
and a body of infantry appeared on the cliffs above.

"Take six small-arm men, in case the enemy should see the lads and
attempt to stop them," exclaimed Jack; "the muskets will probably keep
the Spaniards at a distance while they get on board."

The men who had been called away having received their ammunition, were
in a few seconds in the boat, which now pulled as fast as the crew could
bend to their oars towards the shore.

The enemy must have been surprised at seeing her; for not having
discovered the midshipmen, they probably did not conceive for what
object she was approaching the shore. In the meantime the carronades
had been turned towards the cliff, and the rockets got ready. Until
fired on, however, Jack had determined not to fire; indeed his shot, at
the distance he then was from the cliffs, could not have told with much
effect. As it would have been unwise to heave to in so dangerous a
position, the topsails were lowered on the caps, and topgallant sails
and royals let fly, so as not to leave the boat behind. The midshipmen,
for there was no doubt that it was they who were seen, in their
eagerness to get on board the boat, came out from beneath the
overhanging shrubs which had hitherto concealed them from the view of
those on the cliffs, to the end of a point. The enemy caught sight of
them, and now understanding the object of the boat, instantly began
firing at her, while a party of men hurried down to try and cut them
off.

"We must put a stop to that," cried Jack, giving orders to open fire
with Long Tom and the carronades. The enemy replied with their
field-pieces. The brig, having edged over as close as she could
venture, opened on them with rockets.

The boat by this time had scarcely got half way to the shore, while the
two midshipmen, seeing the party coming to intercept them, threw
themselves into the water and swam off to the boat, regardless of the
bullets flying about their heads. They struck out boldly, the boat's
crew pulling with all their might to reach them, while the small-arm men
kept up a sharp fire on the enemy