"
"That promise is better than nothing," the boy said; "but I would
a deal rather go this time and take my chance next."
"But you see you can't, Percy, and there's no use talking any more
about it. I really do not expect there will be any fighting. Two
junks would hardly make any opposition to the boats of the ship,
and I expect we shall be back by nine o'clock with the news that
they were well on fire before we came up."
Percy Adcock, however, was determined, if possible, to go. He was
a favorite among the men, and when he spoke to the bow oar of the
gig the latter promised to do anything he could to aid him to carry
out his wishes.
"We are to start at daybreak, Tom, so that it will be quite dark
when the boats are lowered. I will creep into the gig before that
and hide myself as well as I can under your thwart, and all you
have got to do is to take no notice of me. When the boat is lowered
I think they will hardly make me out from the deck, especially as
you will be standing up in the bow holding on with the boat hook
till the rest get on board."
"Well, sir, I will do my best; but if you are caught you must not
let out that I knew anything about it."
"I won't do that," Percy said. "I don't think there is much chance
of my being noticed until we get on board the junks, and then they
won't know which boat I came off in, and the first lieutenant will
be too busy to blow me up.
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