`Boat ahoy! What boat is that?' resounded gruffly over the space
between us and the frigate, before we replied.

`Shore boat!'

`Shore boat come along side!' was the stern command.

There was a light at the same moment passed along the deck to the
gangway, which showed us the sentry pacing his platform outside, and
the forms of two or three persons in the port.

We had already dropped our mast and taken to our oars. The waves
by this time running pretty high, for the wind had increased as we got
outside of the harbor, and we found that without great precaution, we
should be in danger of getting our frail skiff dashed against the lofty
sides of the frigate and swamped. As we came near I stood in the
bows with a short pike and fended off, while Fairfax caught a rope
which a sailor threw over his head. He passed it forward to me, and
in a moment I had secured the end by a double turn about the bow
thwart. Our little boat in the meanwhile, bobbed actively up and down
on the restless chop seas that broke against the frigate.

[figure description] Page 047.[end figure description]

`Come on deck one of you and let us know your business,' said an
officer looking down upon us, and trying by the aid of a battle lantern
held by a marine, to make us out.

As I was nighest the ladder, I seized the man-rope and ascended to
the gangway port where he stood. I immediately recognized him to
be one of the Doris' officers, to whom I had frequently the honor of
selling many a glass of brandied soda. I called him by name. He
looked closely at me, and then recognizing me said,

`How is this? Why are you off here in an open boat at this time
of night?'

`To escape from the Brazilian authorities,' I answered.

`Why what have you been doing?'

`We got tired of remaining at Montevideo, our original destination
having been Buenos Ayres, and we planned to get out of the city and
join the patriots for want of something better to do. Our plan was
listened to by a spy and reported to the Governor-General, and we got
wind of it in time to make our escape in the boat.'

`And how have you got out of the harbor?'

`By muffled oars and stealing along, and once when we were challenged,
we got off by making use of the name of your frigate.'

By this time Fairfax and the others had reached the deck. The
lieutenant shook their hands with a warm welcome, and said that he
was very glad that we had not fallen into the hands of the Portuguese,
`but,' he added, `I fear that we shall not dare to protect you, if the
Brazilian Government should order you to be surrendered.'

`We do not intend to burden you with any responsibility,' answered
Fairfaz; `we have started with the intention of going up to Buenos
Ayres.'

`In that little whale boat?'

`Yes, sir.'

`You know that the river is blockaded, and also thronged with cruisers.
'

`We are aware of it,' I answered; `but we shall try to get past
them, and trust we shall succeed as well as we have done in getting
out of the harbor, through the fleet and past the forts.'

`This is a bold enterprise, and I fear you will be unable to carry it
through. Wait here a few moments and I will let Sir John know you
are on board, for it may be that he would like to see you. Two of you
men go down and keep their boat from knocking her nose to pieces
against the ship.'

With this he left us and went aft. We stood by the gangway surrounded
by middies and petty officers and seamen, who had gathered
at the spot to hear our story. They asked us innumerable questions,
and being well aware from experience of the vigilance preserved in the
port, they could hardly believe that we had succeeded in coming out
undetected. But there we stood, and there along side, danced our little
bark in attestation.

At length the lieutenant returned, and said, that Sir John Sinclair
would like to see us in the cabin.

Upon entering the cabin we found the English Captain seated in an

[figure description] Page 048.[end figure description]

arm-chair wrapped in a silk brocade dressing gown, and his feet thrust
into yellow slippers.

`So these are the four young Americans who have run away from
Montevideo, and are going to try and break the blockade?' he said looking
at us and then addressing his lieutenant. `Sit down, sit down,
young gentlemen,' he added in a kind cordial manner. `Tim get the
wine and glasses; they must feel like taking something after their long
tug out! So my brave fellows,' he said turning to us, `so you took a
fancy to join the patriots?'

`Yes, sir,' answered Rsdsworth, on whom his eye fell as he put the
question.

`That is just like you, Jonathans all the world over. You drink in
love of republics, and hatred of kings and emperors with your mother's
milk. But if you wished to join the army outside you should have
been more cautious. It seems you were overheard making your plans,
and an order was sent for your arrest as enemies and traitors to the
Government?'

`Yes, Sir John,' answered Fairfax. `We learned it through an
American Captain, who aided us in getting on board his vessel after
nine o'clock; and there we obtained the boat with which we escaped
out of the harbor!'

`A whale boat?'

`Yes, Sir John

`And you have managed to come through the whole harbor fleet and
pass the guard-ship and forts in safety?'

`We came with great caution,' I answered, `having our oars muffled
and one to keep look out while two others rowed and one steered.—
We had several hair-breadth escapes; and once was challenged, but
we promptly answered `Doris,' and so passed as your gig.'

`That was well done—capitally done! You are a set of brave fellows!
How in the dence you run the gauntlet of so many armed
ships I can't imagine!'

`We repeatedly struck their cables,' I replied; `and once aroused
a dog on board of one, but we pulled under the bows and lay concealed
until all was still again. Several vessels were passed by pulling directly
under their taffrails; we found it safer to hug them close than
to keep out at a distance where we might be seen!'

`You did, eh? By St. George, you made your calculations and carried
through your parts like veterans. But why do you wish to go over
to the patriots? Are you mere adventurers? You do not look like
such!'

`We were passengers in a Boston brig bound to Buenos Ayres,' answered
Fairfax; `whither we were going for the purpose of being
clerks. We were brought to, and carried into Montevideo. There
we have turned our hand to keeping a soda-shop; but as we had no
desire to make this our profession, we resolved to leave the city and
join the patriots in hopes that we should be able to achieve something
worthier our ambition. It was while we were discussing this subject
and proposing means to get out of the city, that we were overheard;
and but for the friendly aid of an American Captain, who got

[figure description] Page 049.[end figure description]

intelligence of the kind intentions of the Governor-General towards us, we
should now be in the calaboose instead of on board your ship!'

`Well, I am glad to welcome you! But if you will take my advice
you will not think of attempting to reach the blockaded city, an enterprize
which my lieutenant informs me you have in contemplation.—
You will be sure to be captured, and then a sovereign to a sous you
would be shot!'

`There is no alternative,' Sir John,' I answered. `The same good
fortune that has favored us to-night, I am persuaded will continue with
us. We can not compromise you with the Brazilian Government by
making your frigate an asylum. There are no vessels going to the
United States, in which we could take passage. Besides, we have come
to South America in the hope of making our fortunes; and as the war
has placed us in the position we are now in, we are ready to avail ourselves
of the war to see what it will do in our favor. We know that
promotion is rapid in the Patriot service, and that four young Americans
will be a welcome arrival! We propose two of us on reaching
Buenos Ayres, to join their navy, and the remaining two take the field
with the army!'

`And this is your settled purpose, young gentlemen?' said Sir John.

`Yes, sir,' was our almost unanimous reply.

`Well, then you must take your own way. But you are to encounter
great risks. None but a set of infernal young Yankees would ever
think of embarking upon an expedition of this kind. If you will
go, Heaven prosper the bold and the brave! What is it you have come
outside in?'

`An eighteen foot whale boat, Sir John,' responded the lieutenant.

`And in this shell you hope to reach Buenos Ayres alive! It is like
a voyage at sea. You know the distance is one hundred and fifty miles
or thereabouts, and that the river is in some parts fifty feet wide. The
pamperos sometimes toss up a sea that your boat would not live in
three minutes.'

`We must risk all these dangers, sir,' said Bedrick resolutely.

`Well, then, young men, if you will, I will do my best to fit you out.
Mr. Colverton,' he said to the lieutenant, `have a compass and chart
of the river put into their boat, and if you can spare a spy-glass let
them have one. It will enable them to make out enemies at a distance
and run in shore to avoid them.'

`We thank you kindly, Sir John,' said I, `but through the care of
the American Coptain, we are provided with all these.'

`The dence you are. Have you beef and bread?'

`Plenty, sir.'

`I'll lay a wager you haven't champagne at least.'

`We had a dozen when we left port, but we opened one to celebrate
our safe passage by the guard-ship.'

`Well, another dozen won't come amiss. Have it sent into the boat
and a demijohn of French brandy. Are any of you acquainted with
the river?'

`None of us,' I answered.'

[figure description] Page 050.[end figure description]

`Then I will lend you a couple of my men. They will assist you
in managing the boat and otherwise be of service.'

We thanked the obliging Englishman for his kind offers, but begged
leave respectfully to decline them, saying that any more would encumber
the boat, which was full narrow enough quarters as it was; and
that if we got into any difficulty we preferred to share it alone rather
than involve others in it.'

`Well, you are a generous and brave party of young men and deserve
success, and I hope you will attain it. Let me give you some
directions as to your course. When do you wish to set out?'

`Each moment is of importance to us, Sir John, said I, `as we are
desirous of getting past the blockading squadron before daylight.'

`The deuce you do! Why you talk as if getting by was the easiest
thing in the world. Do you know that the Imperial fleet occupy the
whole breadth of the river, and are anchored within gun-shot of each
other. A shark couldn't go by without his fin being seen.'

`We shall try and keep equi-distant between two of the vessels and
dropping our sails pull with muffled oars,' answered Radsworth.

`Well, I perceive, that you need no advice of mine. You can get
along very well of your own wits, from what I see. But I would advise
you to keep in with the northern shore for a hundred miles (if you
get safely by the fleet, that is) until you approach Colonia, a town and
fortress opposite Buenos Ayres, which is thirty miles across the river
from it. Colonia is in the hands of the Brazilians, as well as all the
North shore between Montevideo and Colonia. But there is no towns
or settled places between. Before you get to Colonia, I would recommend
you to strike across to the South shore of the river towards
Buenos Ayres.'

We thanked Sir John Sinclair for his directions and expressed our
grateful sense of his kind interest in our welfare. We then joined him
in a glass of wine, in which he drank to our success. He then shook
us all heartily by the hand, and bade us good-bye and a safe expedition.
We then left him and followed the lieutenant upon deck where
we took leave of him and the other officers who crowded about the
gang-way port. They gave us their best wishes, and the lieutenant
said that he should go into town early in the morning, when he would
report our arrival so far, to our friends, especially to Captain Conway.

Two men were tending the boat, which otherwise would have been
dashed to pieces against the frigate's side. They had stepped our mast
for us and reefed our sail, as the wind blew quite hard. After we had
got into the little dancing affair, and secured a footing, we thanked the
men and told them to `let her go!' I took the helm, while Fairfax
hauled aft the sheet and secured it by a turn under the thwart, for we
had no belaying pins. Radsworth and Bedrick took a position forward
to look out.

The instant the two men sprung out of her to the ladder, the little
boat darted away like an arrow shot from a bow, and in five minutes
we had run the frigate out of sight.

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