Part 56 (1/2)

”If we lose the breeze, we cannot tell how long we may be detained here,” he exclaimed, as he impatiently walked the deck. ”We will give him another hour, however; if he does not then appear we must sail without him.”

The cable, in the meantime, was hove short, the topsails loosed and every preparation made for getting under weigh.

The hour had nearly pa.s.sed, when Bevan exclaimed, ”I see him, sir, at the end of the point. He is waving his handkerchief, as agreed on.”

A boat was accordingly despatched, and Jose came on board.

He excused himself by saying that he had fallen in with some people whom he took to be enemies, and that he had to conceal himself till they pa.s.sed by.

”And what information do you bring us?” asked Jack.

”That another schooner and two gunboats have been destroyed, to prevent them from falling into the hands of your countrymen, and that not another vessel belonging to General Rosas remains afloat,” answered Jose.

This was satisfactory news, as Jack now considered that he might carry out the second part of his instructions and proceed up the Parana, to rejoin the squadron already some way ahead, searching for Tom and Gerald as he went along. The anchor was hove up, sail was made, and with a fair breeze he ran out of the river. He had not got far when he fell in with her Majesty's sloop of war, _Dashaway_, which had just come from Monte Video, and from her he received despatches from the commodore.

He was still some distance below the place where Jose had desired to be put on sh.o.r.e. His patience was to be tried still further. After he had run on about twenty miles it fell calm, and he was compelled to bring up not far from Punta Obligado.

Completely knocked up, he and Terence at last turned in, desiring to be called should the wind change, or any occurrence of importance take place.

”At all events, Rosas must have had fighting enough for the present, and his people will not venture to attack us,” observed Terence, as they went below. ”If they do, we must let Long Tom speak to them in return,”

answered Jack, as he threw himself on his bed. In half a minute he was fast asleep.

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.

THE SUPPLEJACK PROCEEDS UP THE PARANA--FIRED AT FROM THE Sh.o.r.e--MEET WITH FRIENDLY NATIVES--JOSE GOES IN SEARCH OF THE MIDs.h.i.+PMEN--RETURNS WITH TIDINGS OF THEM--JOSE LEFT BEHIND--THE BRIG SAILS ON--FIRED AT FROM THE Sh.o.r.e--Pa.s.sING BATTERIES UNDER A HEAVY FIRE--THE BRIG FREQUENTLY STRUCK--SEVERAL PEOPLE KILLED AND WOUNDED--GETS CLEAR AT LAST.

The night was calm, the brig lay on the Entre Rios sh.o.r.e, the inhabitants of which were friendly. Tall trees clothed the bank, towering high above her masts, while on the southern sh.o.r.e scarcely a tree was to be seen. A mist hung over the water, and, though the stars shone brightly from the sky overhead, partly obscured that side of the river, and rendered the night darker than usual. Jack and Terence had enjoyed a couple of hours of sound sleep, ”not idling their time over it,” as Adair observed, when the sound of a gun made them both leap out of their berths. It was followed by another and another. The next moment Bevan came down.

”They are firing at us, sir, from the sh.o.r.e,” he said. ”Shall we return it?”

”Not till the shots come unpleasantly near,” answered Jack. ”The flash of our guns might show them the proper range, which at present they do not appear to have got. Turn up the hands, but show no lights.”

Meantime the enemy continued firing, the shot occasionally pa.s.sing close ahead or astern. At last one cut the fore-topmast-stay, a second whistled between the masts, two others followed at a short distance ahead.

”They have got the range now,” cried Jack; ”it is time to reply to them.”

Long Tom was brought to bear on the spot whence the flashes proceeded, for the guns themselves could not be seen. His first bark, as Needham called it, was replied to by several shots, but they did no damage.

”Depress the gun slightly; that shot went over them,” said Jack.

Long Tom gave a second bark; no reply came; a third and fourth followed.

It was evident that the shot had told with considerable effect, and that the enemy had thought it wiser to beat a retreat.

”We have done with them at present,” observed Jack; ”but we shall probably have a good deal of this sort of work going up the river. The rockets with which we have been supplied will come into play, I suspect.”

”At all events the trip is not likely to be a dull one,” observed Adair; ”I only wish that we had the youngsters on board.”

As there appeared no probability of the brig being again attacked, the guns were secured, and the watch below turned in. Of course, every possible care was kept to prevent surprise, should the enemy venture to make another attack; which was not, however, at all likely to occur.