w the
light flash off the lens just now."

"Then they must be a-watching of us, sir, taking stock of the place. I
shouldn't wonder if we had a visit from them soon after dark, to try and
take us by surprise."

"Well, they won't do that," said Poole. "We shall keep too good a
watch; but I shouldn't wonder if they tried." The time glided by, and
the sun began to sink, to disappear quite early to the watchers, shut in
by high cliffs; and as soon as it was out of sight the boat was dragged
up stream, well hidden behind the overhanging boughs that dipped their
tips to the edge of the river, till the first bend had been passed, when
the men took to their oars and pulled hard till the schooner was
reached.

There was scarcely anything to report, the only thing that took the
skipper's attention being Fitz's statement that he had seen somebody on
the gunboat's bridge using a glass, and this was sufficient to start the
skipper making preparations for the night, for after a short
consultation with Burgess, they came to the conclusion that they would
be attacked before long; and about an hour after darkness had set in, a
whisper from one of the watch told that he had heard the faint creakings
of oars on rowlocks.

A minute later a faint spark lit up what appeared to be a scale hanging
from its chains and being lowered down from the schooner's side into the
water; but as it touched the surface it grew and grew, and went gliding
down the stream, developing as it went into a tin dish containing some
combustible which grew brighter and brighter as it went on, till it
flashed out into a dazzling blue light which lit up the sides of the
cliffs and glistened like moonlight in the water, till at about a
hundred yards from the schooner's stern it threw up into clear relief
the shapes of three boats crowded with men, the spray thrown up by their
oars glittering in the blue flare, and then ceasing.

For all at once a few softly-uttered words were heard upon the
schooner's deck, followed by a bright flash, and the roar of a volley
echoed like thunder from the cliff-sides, for the skipper's preparations
had been well made, so that about a score of rifle-bullets were sent
whizzing and hissing over the enemy's heads, while those who looked on
over the schooner's bulwarks saw the blue light begin to sink and grow
pale as it went on down stream, throwing up the boats in less bold
relief as they too went down towards the mouth in company wi