‘Well then, I’ll take a boat this night at ten o’clock and pull round into the harbor with your six men well armed. First, we will divide ourselves _here_, after landing--’ said Channing taking a little chart from his pocket which represented the prison and the contiguous grounds, drawn from memory by Herbert, and pointing to the back part of the prison. ‘We must divide our number here, and passing round each party by different sides, manage to silence the sentinels that guard the different angles. This must be done as silently as possible, no noise you understand, that would destroy all.’ ‘Yes sir, and bring down the whole barracks upon us.’ The sentinels once silenced and entrance gained to the jailor’s ward, I think there will be no further trouble. Do you consider my plan a good and practical one, Mr. Herbert?’ ‘Just the thing, sir.’ ‘Much will depend upon our discretion.’ ‘Everything, sir.’ ‘This must be impressed upon the men.’ ‘I will drill them to a nicety, sir, before we start,’ said Herbert. ‘One great advantage we shall have, these cursed Spanish sentinels, sleep half the time upon their posts, and if we arrive in lucky time, we may catch them napping, and that would be half of the battle gained at the outset, sir.’ ‘Do you remember at what hour the guard is changed? asked Channing. ‘Let me think; at eight, twelve and four, I believe.’ ‘We must manage to arrive at about one o’clock, A. M. The midnight guard will be comfortably settled for the watch by that time,’ said Channing. ‘Just so, sir, the fellow will be snoring by that time I’ll be bound.’ ‘I will select the men from the brig, Mr. Herbert, and you may come on board, sir, at about half past nine well armed.’ ‘Will one boat be enough, sir?’ ‘Better for all purposes than two, and we must leave a respectable force in charge of the prisoners, who need looking to.’ ‘Very true, sir,’ replied Herbert. ‘I had rather have six chosen men, and they good ones, than three times the number to attempt such an enterprise with,’ said Channing. Thus the captain and his second separated to meet again at the appointed hour for the hazardous undertaking. The mild and beautiful climate of Cuba seems more like the Elysian fields of poetic birth, than the air that forms the islands of the ocean. Beautiful indeed is the genial influence of the mild zephyrs that breathe over these pacific seas. As evening knelt and cast her broad mantle over land and sea, the two vessels lay side by side, close under the lee of the island, while the young commander awaited with apparent impatience the arrival of the hour for the commencement of the proposed enterprise. At length with the appointed hour came Herbert from on board the barque, and the men having been directed to their duty, were each one supplied with arms, and the boat with Herbert at the helm, now lay at the side of the brig awaiting the presence of Channing.