“Yes,” I agreed, “too long for my purpose, at all events; for I have no doubt that the rascals would make a stubborn fight for it; and even if we should succeed in capturing the gold, we should certainly lose a good number of our men, while I want to get the gold, and the ship too, without any loss at all, if it can be managed.”
“Ay, sir,” answered Hoard. “But I don’t see how it can.”
“Well, I have a plan,” said I, “and you, perhaps, with your knowledge of the place, will be able to tell me what chance there is of its being successful. And, first of all, do you happen to know how many men are stationed in that battery there that guards the entrance channel?”
“Yes, sir, I think I can tell you pretty nearly,” answered Hoard; “because, d’ye see, afore I was sent aboard the Magdalena I was one of the slaves that had to man the water-boat that took ’em their daily supply of fresh water, there bein’ none on the island. How many men? Well, I should say that, countin’ all hands, officers and men together, there’s a matter of nigh on to eighty of ’em.”
“No more than that?”
“No, sir; certainly not more than eighty. Call ’em eighty, and you’ll not be very far wrong; over the mark a trifle, if anything.”
“Very well, then,” said I. “This is my plan. You say that the gold is to be put aboard the galleon the day after to-morrow. The fact of its shipment must be absolutely established, and, in order that it may be so, I propose that you shall remain ashore—if you think you can do so without fear of discovery—and witness for yourself the loading of it. Then, when it is all aboard the ship, you will make the best of your way across to this island, and wait for me at the spot where we landed last night. I shall come ashore with all the boats and the whole of the crew, except the idlers, fully armed. Then, if the gold has been shipped, we will land on a little strip of sandy beach at the seaward end of the channel, which I noticed to-day, march across the point, and take the battery, spiking the guns. And, when this is done, we will pull up the harbour, board the galleon, and carry her out to sea before the soldiers are embarked.”
“The very thing, sir! the very thing!” exclaimed Hoard delightedly. “What a fool I was not to think of such a simple plan as that myself! Yes, sir, it’ll do, I don’t doubt. The sojers is sure not to be put aboard that night; they’ll give ’em a day or two to rest after their journey down the country, not for the sake of the men, sir, but because the officers ’ll want it.”
“Then you think that my plan will do?” asked I.
“Yes, sir, I do; I haven’t a doubt about it,” was the confident answer.