what they'd be pretty sure to do."

Poole drew a deep breath, and his face grew cloudy.

"The idea is too good, my lad. It is asking too much of luck, and we
couldn't expect two such plans to succeed. What do you say, Burgess?"

"Same as you do," said the mate roughly. "But if we got one of our
shots to go off right we ought to be satisfied, and if it was me I
should have a try at both."

"Yes," said the skipper, "and we will. But it seems to me, Burgess,
that you and I are going to be out of it all."

"Oh yes. They've planned it; let 'em do it, I say."

"Yes," said the skipper; "they shall. But look here, do you lads
propose to do all this in one visit to the gunboat?"

"Poole's idea, sir, is all fresh to me," cried Fitz. "I knew nothing of
it till he began to speak, but it seems to me that it must all be done
in one visit. They'd never give us a chance to go twice."

"No," said the mate laconically, and as he uttered the word he shut his
teeth with a snap.

"When's it to be, then?"

"To-night, sir," said Fitz, "while it's all red-hot."

"Yes, father; it ought to be done to-night. It's not likely to be
darker than it is just now."

"Very well," said the skipper; "then I give you both authority to make
your plans before night. But the dinghy is out of the question. With
the current running off the coast here you'd never get back in that.
You must take the gig, and five men. Pick out who you like, Poole: the
men you would rather trust. You'd better let him choose, Mr Burnett;
he knows the men so much better than you, and besides, it would be
better that they should be under his orders than under yours. There, I
have no more to say, except this--whether they succeed or not, your
plans are both excellent; but you cannot expect to do anything by force.
This is a case for scheme and cunning. Under the darkness it may be
done. What I should like best would be for you to get that breech-block
overboard. If you can do the other too, so much the better, but I shall
be perfectly satisfied if you can do one, and get back safely into the
river. There, Poole; make what arrangements you like. I shall not
interfere in the least."

"Nor I," said the mate. "Good luck to you both! But I shouldn't worry
much about preparing for a fight. What you have got to do is to act,
cut, and run."

CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN.

'CAUSE WHY.

"Now we know," said Poole joyously, as they left the cabin and went
forw