Year: 1872

rave the best can give-meu 10 whose
,auds can trust my own life, and yours.
oO. if need be-"


Then let US meet at the battery. on
he extreme lsft Of our lines; that will
bring US pretty straight in front OF the
Tort. Now I'll 20 aud arrange with cd
Jones who is field officer. and get him to
let US pass the sentries. Its half past
eight now the moon won't be up till
nearly one. and, luckily for us it is the
dark side Of the moon. as q native would
say, so it will be the darker and better
for us. II we start at ten, We shall be
back-if VIC ever do get back-before
the moon rises"


80 be it; ten sharp"


They parted. Parker went to think
over his company, and pick the men he
thought would be most reliable for such
a venture. Success was Of vital impor-
tance, for he knew that nothing but sue
cess would justify such a step without or
ders, and save him perhaps from a court
martial. Norval at once proceeded to
find Major Jones, and talk him into let.
ting them pass, which was no easy mat
ter, for the old man, personally as brave
as any of them, had great regard fol
"rules and regulations" and had no fan
cy for being privy to hair-brained adven'
lures. He was won over, however, and
consented


Remember, Norval, it may cost me
my commission fyou chance to come tC
grief; yet. for your sake, I'll run the
risk"


That settled, Norval had much to dc
and not much over the hour to do it in
His habits of really resource now stood
him in good stead; he at once graspeC
the idea and soon formed his plans. II,
was an enthusiastic angler, and knowing
that while the force had been lying 81
many weeks before the fort they had hac
many days good fishing in the classic
old river that skirted the camp, he hat
slowed away some tackle among his bag
gage, in hope of getting his share of tn,
sport. This he now turned to good ac
count. At the artillery canteen lie 60
large bung-cork this he cut iuto /
float by tapering it upwards to a point
leaving the bottom fat he put through it
quill, inside which he fixed piece O
handspring, and ran through it stronI
line he had-stroug enough to land I
salmon Of ten pounds weight. Thus h
contrived irst-rate float, through whicI
the line would run freely one way, bu
would not slip one inch the other way
On one end of the line he fastened
large-sized plummet and wound it all u
on short piece Of bamboo. This wa
all his apparatus-simplicity itself, ye
deserving patent.


1t was now nine o'clock. One hou
more he could call bis own. That hour
how it was spent was only known by tn
subsequent disclosures of his "bearer
who said that when he had gone into tn
tent to make his master cup of tea an
found him very busy writing, that whe
he afterwards lifted the purdah, (curtair
to take away the cup, his master was o
his knees and that as he left the ten
his master placed 10 his hand thic
packet, with orders that if he did not rt
turn by morning it was to be given to th
paymaster.


AS the stiffness of the night air wa
broken by the several regimental gong
striking ten. Norval appeared at the rel
dezvous. Parker and his men were a
ready there; and good Major Jones wa
there too, to protest once more, almo


with tears, and to let them pass the sen


ries.


1t was now quite dark. The sentri'


Of the enemy formed Gordon abo'


three hundred yards outside the Gil


walls, and about twice as far 10 front


the advance line Of English pickets; ar


their presence was only to be detected |


the sound Of their voices as they met


the end of each beat, and passed on tn
word, "Sub achcha." from end to end


the line. The little party we're now fai


ly on their way; trcading softly and slo,


ly, they stole along till within about ff


yards of the enemy's sentries. He


they stopped. Two sentries we're in Il


act of meeting, straight in front Of then
they passed the word to each other, al
parted on the return way. Norval nC
? counted how long it took them to rea
the other end Of their beats and ba
! again. They went. and came and parte
Norval waited still with his little ban
their hearts beating quick and loud so
almost to be heard in the dead stillnt
. Of the night--waited till he knew I