'And we must get a craft to-night—it is not yet too late,' he exclaimed, looking at his watch.
'Callum! call Serjeant Mac Ildhui—our lads must all be in marching order, with haversacks and ammunition, an hour before daylight to-morrow.'
'Very well, sir.'
'Bravo!' added Jack; 'we shall cut a dash, and have a little war on our own account.'
'An entire column in the "Times" to ourselves.'
'And a sketch in the "Illustrated News," of course.'
'There go the pipes for tattoo—fill your wine-horn again, Allan! Here's success to our expedition in the morning!'
CHAPTER LVI.
'BIODH TREUN!'
The morning was cold and frosty, though in the last days of February. The sun was yet below the horizon; but all the sea that stretched away towards the mouth of the Bosphorus on one hand, and the Dardanelles on the other, was covered by a golden brilliance; and a rosy gleam in the east indicated the quarter from which, without any lingering twilight, he would climb at once the azure sky. No cloud shaded the surface of the latter, and scarcely a ripple seemed to curl the still and beautiful bosom of the Propontis.