were. There are six guns, all loaded at nightfall to the muzzle with
grape; we know that, for once they fancied they heard us coming, and they
fired such a storm of grape that we should have been all swept away;
besides which, there are a large number of the fellows sleeping round; and
although sometimes the battery ceases firing for some hours, the musketry
goes on more or less during the night."

The Warreners lay wistfully watching the battery, whose shots frequently
struck the house, and two or three times knocked down a portion of the
sandbag parapet--the damage being at once repaired with bags lying in
readiness, but always under a storm of musketry, which opened in the hopes
of hitting the men engaged upon the work; these were, however, accustomed
to it, and built up the sandbags without showing a limb to the enemy's
shot.

"There were two children killed by that last shot," an officer said,
coming up from below and joining them; "it made its way through the earth
and broke in through a blocked-up window."

"We must silence that battery, Ned, whatever comes of it," Dick said in
his brother's ear.

"I agree with you, Dick; but how is it to be done? have you got an idea?"

"Well, my idea is this," the midshipman said. "I think you and I might
choose a dark night, as it will be to-night. Take the bearings of the
battery exactly; then when they stop firing, and we think the gunners are
asleep, crawl out and make for the guns. When we get there we can make our
way among them, keeping on the ground so that the sentry cannot see us
against the sky; and then with a sponge full of water we can give a