These arrangements made, we at once moved forward, noiseless as shadows, towards our respective points. I took the northern wing, while Bob Hawkins, a fine steady main-topman, took the other.
As soon as we began to move, I devoted my whole attention to the sentry on my own wing, knowing I could not attend to him and look after other matters also. There the man still stood, motionless as a statue; but from a slight movement or two which he made, I soon saw that he was not asleep, but, on the contrary, wide awake. On we crept, and presently we were within six feet of him. At this moment one of our people sneezed violently, and the man instantly turned. My right-hand man and I sprang upon him on the instant, and while I wrenched his firelock out of his hand, my assistant grasped the unhappy man so tenaciously by the throat that he was utterly unable to utter a sound, and by sheer strength at the same time forced him down upon his knees. I laid the firelock carefully down upon the ground, and whipping out of my pocket a handful of oakum and some marline, stuffed it and a thowl-pin into the fellow’s mouth, effectually gagging him, and, I fear, half-choking him at the same time. We next lashed him, neck and heels together, in such a way that he could not possibly move, and then set about spiking the guns, passing the word along at the same time.
A distinct clinking, notwithstanding the leather facing to the hammers, on the right wing told me that all was going favourably in that quarter, and in another minute the work was effectually done. I was extremely anxious during that minute, for the sound of the hammers smote upon my excited ear like the sharp strokes of a bell. It soon ceased, however, and as everything remained quiet at the barrack-buildings, it seemed that the clinking had not been loud enough to reach the ears of the sleepers therein. Giving the sentry on the right wing an overhaul to see that he, like his comrade was all safe, I immediately withdrew the spikers, and picking up the other party in our retreat we silently made the best of our way to the beach, which we safely reached in about a quarter of an hour, and, jumping into our boat, pulled cheerily out to seaward.
It had by this time grown just sufficiently light to enable us to see the frigate looming like a seventy-four about a mile to windward. They were evidently on the lookout for us on board her, for we had scarcely shoved the boat’s nose clear of the point before we saw the beautiful craft sweep gracefully round and run down toward us. She came as close in as the skipper dared bring her, and then hove-to. In ten minutes afterwards we were on board and the boat hoisted up.
“Well, Ralph,” said Captain Annesley, as I went up the side and touched my hat, “what news?”
“We’ve carried out your orders to the letter, sir,” I replied. “We have surprised the battery, and, without giving the slightest alarm to the French frigate, have spiked the ten thirty-six pounders which it mounts.”
“Thirty-sixes, eh!” said he. “I thought they had the look of heavy metal when I saw them through the telescope yesterday. Why, at their elevation, and at so short a range, they would have sunk us before we could get out again, had we attempted to go in there without first silencing them. Thank you, Mr Chester; you have performed a difficult and most important service with equal skill and courage, and I shall have great pleasure in representing as much to the admiral.”
Here was a feather in my cap. However, I had no time just then for self-gratulation, for as soon as our success had been made known, the frigate wore round—every preparation had been made long before—and we headed at once for North-east Bay; our skipper having taken the utmost care to keep the French frigate shut in all night by the projecting point of land which forms the southern extremity of the bay, in order that the “Astarte” herself might be equally hidden from the French frigate.
Ten minutes afterwards we shaved close in round the point, and there lay the “Artemise,” within half-a-dozen cables’ lengths of us, with boarding-nettings triced up, guns run out, and everything apparently in readiness to receive us.
For a moment or two our presence appeared to be unnoticed; then crack! went the sentries’ pieces, one after another, on board her, the quick, short roll of drums was heard beating to quarters, and the hitherto silent craft became in a moment all astir with bustle and animation.