The silence and darkness made the lads' start for their venturesome
expedition doubly impressive, the more so that the men were looking on
in silence and wonder, and no light was shown on board the schooner.
The gig with its load of cable had been swinging for hours by the
painter, and midnight was near at hand, when the little crew, each armed
with cutlass and revolver, stood waiting for their orders to slip down
into their seats.
This order came at last, accompanied by one command from the skipper,
and it was this--
"Perfect silence, my lads. Obey orders, and do your best.--Now, my
boys," he continued, as soon as the men were in the boat, "do not fire a
shot unless you are absolutely obliged. Mr Burgess will follow in the
large boat with a dozen men, to lie off the mouth of the river ready to
help you if you are in trouble; so make for there. If you want to
signal to them to come to you, strike a couple of matches one after the
other, and throw them into the water at once. Last night the gunboat
did not show a light. I expect that it will be the same to-night, as
they will think they are safer; but I fancy amongst you, you will have
eyes sharp enough to make her out, and the darkness will be your best
friend, so I hope the sea will not brime. There, your hand, Mr
Burnett. Now yours, Poole, my boy. Over with you at once."
The next minute the boys had slid down into the boat, to seat themselves
in the stern-sheets with the boatswain; the carpenter pulled the stroke
oar, so that he was within reach if they wished to speak, and with the
boatswain taking the rudder-lines they glided slowly down the stream.
"Tell them just to dip their oars to keep her head straight, boatswain,"
said Poole quietly. "We have plenty of time, and we had better keep out
in mid-stream. A sharp look-out for anything coming up."
"Ay, ay, my lad," was the reply, and they seemed to slip on into the
black darkness which rose before them like a wall, while overhead, like
a deep purple band studded with gold, the sky stretched from cliff to
cliff of the deep ravine through which the river ran.
"Now, Poole," said Fitz suddenly, speaking in a low voice, almost a
whisper, "you had better say a word or two to Mr Butters about the work
we are on."
"No," replied Poole; "it was your idea, and you're accustomed to take
command of a boat, so you had better speak, for the boatswain and the
carpenter ought to know. The other men will have nothing to do but
manage the gig--"
"Hah!" ejaculated the boatswain, in a deep sigh, while Chips, who had
heard every word, only gave vent to a sniff.
Fitz coughed slightly, as if troubled with something that checked his
breath.
"Then look here, Mr Butters," he said quickly; "we're off to disable
the gunboat yonder, and do two things."
"Good!" came like a croak.
"First thing is to foul the screw."