rightened
slightly, grew dim, brightened again, and then the boatswain uttered a
low "Hah!" and Chips sniffed softly, this time for a reason, for he was
inhaling the aroma of a cigar, borne towards them upon the soft damp
night air.

The lads joined hands again, and in the warm pressure a thrill of
exultation seemed to run from their fingers right up their arms and into
their breasts, to set their hearts pumping with a heavy throb.

Neither dared venture upon a whisper to inform his comrade of that which
he already knew--that some one on board the gunboat was smoking,
probably the officer of the watch, and that they must wait in the hope
that he might go below after a look round, when there was still a
possibility that the crew might sleep, or at least be sufficiently lax
in their duty to enable the adventurers to carry out their plans. They
could do nothing else, only wait; but as they waited, with Fitz still
grasping his companion's hand, they both became conscious of the fact
that by slow degrees the glowing end of that cigar grew brighter; and
the reason became patent--that the current running outward from the
river, even at that distance from the shore, was bearing them almost
imperceptibly nearer to where the gunboat lay.

The idea was quite right, for fortune was after all favouring them, more
than they dared to have hoped. All at once, as they were watching the
glowing light, whose power rose and fell, those on board the gig were
conscious of a slight jerk, accompanied by a grating sound. This was
followed by a faint rustle from the fore part of the boat. What caused
this, for a few moments no one in the after part could tell.

They knew that they had run upon something, and by degrees Fitz worked
out the mental problem in his mind, as with his heart beating fast he
watched the glowing light, in expectation of some sign that the smoker
had heard the sound as well.

But he still smoked on, and nothing happened to the boat, which had
careened over at first and threatened to capsize, but only resumed her
level trim and completely reversed her position, head taking the place
of stern, so that to continue to watch the light the middy had to wrench
himself completely round; and then he grasped the fact that the current
had carried them right on to the anchor-chain where it dipped beneath
the surface, before bearing them onward, still to swing at ease.

The man who acted as coxswain--the Camel to wit--having