rupted by the entrance of a midshipman, who
brought the agreeable intelligence that a sail, supposed to be the
_Ypsilante_, was in sight to windward.

"Huzza, then!" exclaimed Rawson. "We shall have all your plan complete,
Fleetwood,--and you think those fellows will fight? Well, on my word, I
should much like to bear you company if it was not for the hill--mind,
only as a volunteer though--I will keep alongside your friend, Colonel
Gauntlett."

Seldom had an expedition been undertaken under better auspices than that
to rescue Ada Garden and her companions, and to punish the pirate. The
night was very dark, and the breeze was just sufficient to enable the
ships of war to get up to their anchorage at the proper time, while
being from the west, or rather from the northward of it, the sea was
perfectly smooth, which would enable the boats to enter the little bay
without danger.

As the dusk came on the little squadron hauled up for the island, the
Greek brig standing for the port, the others keeping more to the
eastward; the former had, however, sent two of her boats to accompany
the _Ione_, and to assist in landing the men, thus rendering herself
rather short handed; but, as she had only to make a feint of attacking,
this was not considered of any importance, nor was it supposed for a
moment that the _Sea Hawk_ would, or even could, make an attempt to quit
the harbour in face of so superior a force.

It was so dark that it was scarcely possible to distinguish the shore;
but Fleetwood, who led in the _Ione_, as she was the smallest vessel,
kept the lead going, and, as he knew the coast, he had no fears. As he
thought of the certain result of the expedition, and the unspeakable joy
of releasing Ada, and bearing her off in triumph from the pirates'
island, the depression of spirits, from which he had so long suffered,
wore off entirely, and every moment which intervened seemed an age in
his sight.

"I am delighted to see you looking so well, my dear sir," said Colonel
Gauntlett, as, before getting close in with the land, they sat at table
with some refreshment before them, of which, by the by, the captain took
but little, though his guest did ample justice to it. "I must claim a
post next to you, with Mitchell as my body-guard, and we must make it
our business to find out my poor niece as soon as we get into the port.
You will have to attend to the business of thrashing the pirates, and
taking possession of the pl