Lieutenant Cantor went over the instructions once more, talking in low tones across the water.
"And above all, remember that there is to be no fighting," Cantor added, impressively, looking straight into Darrin's eyes.
"Punk orders, when each man is provided with a hundred rounds of rifle ammunition, and when each automatic gun is supplied with two thousand rounds!" grumbled Coxswain Riley, under his breath.
"Gentlemen, you will now get under way," ordered Lieutenant Cantor.
"You will remember each sentence of your instructions!"
Silently, two of the launches stole away into the night, bound east and west, while the third launch awaited the time to start shoreward.
On Darrin's launch there was little talking, and that in whispers. Dave had made a most careful study of the map, and felt certain that he could give the course straight into the lagoon on which the Acunda mill stood.
"Coxswain Schmidt," said Ensign Darrin, in a low voice, when still some four miles away from the proposed place of landing, "when you are close enough to shore to signal the engineer, you will do so by hand signal, not by use of the bell. Seaman Berne will watch for your signals, and convey them to the engineer."
"Very good, sir," replied both coxswain and seaman.
"Probably it won't be my luck to find the American captives at the Acunda plantation," murmured Darrin.
None the less, when he at last sighted the lagoon, his heart began to beat excitedly.