They directed their steps southward toward the battery which they had
sailed past a few minutes earlier, and which could just be distinguished
as a darker blur against the blackness of the night. Not a light of any
description showed about the building, nor was there a sound to be heard
save the soft lap and splash of the water on the margin of the beach to
the left of them, and the sough of the land breeze among the trees and
bushes on their right. Noiseless as drifting shadows, the party sped
forward, and within some five minutes of their landing arrived beneath
the walls of the fort. Here Dick, Stukely, and a man named Barker
removed their shoes and, walking to the northward angle of the fort,
examined it to ascertain what means of ascent it afforded. They found,
as Marshall had said, that although the walls were so smooth as to be
quite unclimbable, the angles of the building were set with quoin stones
of so rough a surface that an ascent by means of them might be made
easily; accordingly Stukely, who by virtue of his discovery of the
anaesthetic now claimed to take the lead, at once began to climb the
angle, closely followed by Dick and Barker. In less than two minutes
the trio had accomplished the ascent and found themselves standing on
the platform which constituted the flat roof of the battery. The eight
pieces of heavy ordnance, their muzzles projecting far over the low
parapet, were easily distinguishable, as were also the great piles of
shot, notwithstanding the darkness of the night; but for the moment no
sentinels were visible. Whispering his companions to remain where they
were, Stukely moved away with noiseless tread, swiftly making the
circuit of the gun platform; and presently he rejoined the other two.

"It is all right," he whispered. "I found the rascals sound asleep,
even as the Captain did, and, withdrawing the stopper from my vial,
allowed them to inhale the vapour for a moment. They are now
insensible, and will remain so for at least half an hour, therefore you
may now do your share of the work, Barker. Come with me, and I will
show you where they lie."

The two moved away together, Barker uncoiling a long length of fine line
from his waist as he did so; while Dick, leaning over the parapet,
dropped a small pebble down among the group below, as a signal that all
was well and they might now safely make the ascent without fear of
detection. All arrangements having been previously made, e