urnett--will you watch
with me?"

The lads stepped to his side at once.

"The last to turn our backs, Fitz Burnett," whispered Poole. "The place
of honour after all."

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE.

ABOARD AGAIN.

The little party strained their ears as they tramped silently on towards
the boat; but not a sound was heard suggesting that the enemy grasped
the fact that the strategy had been cleverly carried out. The dull
reflection of the fires had from time to time been faintly discernible
upon the low-hanging mist; but this soon died out, and fortune seemed to
be smiling kindly upon their efforts now.

"I'd give something to know what time it is," whispered Poole, and he
took a step nearer to his father to ask him how long he thought it would
be before day.

"I haven't the least idea, my boy," he replied. "The night has seemed
far too short, but it must be nearly at an end. But if we can once get
into the boat and reach the schooner I shall begin to hope that we may
reach Velova before the enemy."

"We have got much farther to go than they have, though, father."

"Yes, and everything will depend upon how long it is before the
reinforcements come and they make their advance. It may be hours yet,
and it may be before the break of day. There, don't talk to me again,
my lad; I want to think."

So it was in silence and darkness that the corduroy road was traversed,
and the rear-guard reached the little wharf to find the advance
gathered-together, waiting to fire or descend at once into the boat.

There was not a sound to be heard from the direction by which they had
come, and the skipper giving the order to embark at once, the men
stepped down carefully and well, till, dangerously packed, the order was
given to push off, Poole and Fitz being together in the stern, where the
skipper passed out an oar to steer, and they began rapidly to descend
the flooded stream.

"There must have been rain in the mountains," he said quietly, and then
aloud, "Sit fast, my lads, and keep her well in trim. Two oars out
there, just to give me steering way, but you need hardly pull.
Everything depends upon your keeping steady. There, boys," he said, to
those at his side, "we are none too soon. It's lightening yonder in the
east."

That morning the sun, as it rose high above the mist, shone down upon
the crowded decks of the schooner, her white sails glistening as the
land was left behind, with Poole and Fitz Burnett using