e about a mile off shore, are we not?" Bob asked.
"That is about the distance I want to keep. If there are any
cruisers, they are sure to be further out than that; and as for
Santa Barbara, if they see us and take the trouble to fire at us,
there is not much chance of their hitting such a mark as this, a
mile away. Besides, almost all their guns are on the land side."

The men made no reply. To them, the thought of being fired at by
big guns was much more alarming than that of being picked up by a
cruiser of their own nation; although they saw there might be a
good deal of difficulty in persuading the authorities that they had
taken part, perforce, in the attempt to get fruit into the
beleaguered garrison. Daylight was just beginning to break, when
one of the fishermen pointed out a dark mass inshore, but somewhat
ahead of them.

"That is Santa Barbara," he said.

They had already, for some time, made out the outline of the Rock;
and Bob gazed anxiously seaward but could, as yet, see no signs of
the enemy's cruisers.

"Row away, lads," he said. "They won't see us for some time and, in
another half hour, we shall be safe."

The Spaniards bent to their oars with all their strength, now; from
time to time looking anxiously over their shoulders at the fort.
Rapidly the daylight stole across the sky, and they were just
opposite Santa Barbara when a gun boomed out, and a shot flew over
their heads and struck the water, a quarter of a mile beyond them.
With a yell of fear, the two Spaniards threw themselves at the
bottom of the boat.

"Get up, you fools!" Bob shouted. "You will be no safer, down
there, than if you were rowing. If a shot strikes her she will be
smashed up, whether you are rowing or lying down. If you stay
there, it will be an hour before we get out of range of their guns
while, if you row like men, we shall get further and further away
every minute, and be safe in a quarter of an hour."

It was only, however, after he threatened to shoot them, if they
did not set to work again, that the Spaniards resumed their oars;
but when they did they rowed desperately. Another shot from the
fort struck the water a short distance astern, exciting a fresh
yell of agony from the men.

"There, you see," Bob said; "if you hadn't been sending her faster
through the water, that would have hit us.

"Ah! They are beginning from that sloop, out at sea."

This was a small craft that Bob had made out, as the light
incre