"By Jove, O'Malley, that is a thought worth a troop to you!"

"Far more likely to forward his promotion in the next world than in this,"
said Baker, smiling.

"By no means," added I. "I marked the ground this evening, and have it
perfectly in my mind. If we were to follow the bend of the river, I'll be
bound to come right upon the spot; by nearing the fortress we'll escape the
sentries; and all this portion is open to us."

The project thus loosely thrown out was now discussed in all its bearings.
Whatever difficulties it presented were combated so much to our own
satisfaction, that at last its very facility damped our ardor. Meanwhile
the night wore on, and the storm of rain so long impending began to descend
in very torrents; hissing along the parched ground, it rose in a mist,
while overhead the heavy thunder rolled in long unbroken peals; the crazy
door threatened to give way at each moment, and the whole building trembled
to its foundation.

"Pass the brandy down here, Hampden, and thank your stars you're where you
are. Eh, O'Malley? You'll defer your trip to San Benito for finer weather."

"Well, to come to the point," said Hampden, "I'd rather begin my
engineering at a more favorable season; but if O'Malley's for it--"

"And O'Malley _is_ for it," said I, suddenly.

"Then faith, I'm not the man to balk his fancy; and as Crawfurd is so bent
upon fighting to-morrow, it don't make much difference. Is it a bargain?"