were not more than half-asleep. I saw at once that the
moment was eminently propitious; so hurrying back to my men, who must
have wondered what had become of me, I led them up to within ten yards
of the barrack-buildings, when I made each man take off his shoes. We
then crept up to the barrack-walls, and telling off nine men, each
provided with a hammer carefully faced with leather to deaden the sound,
and a few nails (being similarly provided myself), I placed the
remainder of my party, five at each wing of the building, well within
the shadow, with instructions to seize--without noise it possible--and
detain any one who might emerge from the building. In the event of an
alarm being given and the garrison aroused, two of the men were to rush
in and overpower the officers, while the remainder were to rally round
the door of the larger room and prevent a sally until a signal-whistle
should inform them that the work of spiking was completed, when the
whole were to give leg-bail and make for the beach. But I warned them
to prevent a general alarm, if possible, at all hazards.

Having posted this division of my party, I rejoined the other. Each man
was to spike a gun; but the two on each wing were, in addition, to creep
up to and surprise the sentry on that wing; and no one was to attempt
anything until the word should be passed from each wing.

These arrangements made, we at once moved forward, noiseless as shadows,
towards our respective points. I took the northern wing, while Bob
Hawkins, a fine steady main-topman, took the other.

As soon as we began to move, I devoted my whole attention to the sentry
on my own wing, knowing I could not attend to him and look after other
matters also. There the man still stood, motionless as a statue; but
from a slight movement or two which he made, I soon saw that he was not
asleep, but, on the contrary, wide awake. On we crept, and presently we
were within six feet of him. At this moment one of our people sneezed
violently, and the man instantly turned. My right-hand man and I sprang
upon him on the instant, and while I wrenched his firelock out of his
hand, my assistant grasped the unhappy man so tenaciously by the throat
that he was utterly unable to utter a sound, and by sheer strength at
the same time forced him down upon his knees. I laid the firelock
carefully down upon the ground, and whipping out of my pocket a handful
of oakum and some marline, stuffed it and a t