“Rather!” Sir John answered. “For once in my life I have a job that matters, and I’m certainly not going to risk carrying it out by getting shot unnecessarily. They won’t leave a strong guard at the boat: a submarine crew is too limited to use many men, and then, so far as we know, they feel perfectly safe, and have no reason to take extra precautions. Speed will be their main idea; they must make the most of the short time between low-water and daylight.” He swung round towards Norah, smiling at her. “How are you feeling, mate?” “I’m feeling very cheerful,” said Norah, whose face bore out her words. “There isn’t nearly so much danger for the boys on top of the rock, is there, Sir John?” “Certainly not; if they can block the entrance from above they may not even have to use their revolvers—which will be a sad blow to them,” O’Neill answered. “I’m always against promiscuous shooting, especially when there are ladies present—even to satisfy fire-eaters like Wally and Jim!” “Are you sure you’ll be all right, Sir John?” “I’ll be as right as possible,” he assured her, laughing at her anxious face. “All I have to do is to sit comfortably behind my little rock and pot at fat Germans; and when you hear me potting, you can light the beacon and crawl away with discreet haste. I hope you realize that we couldn’t carry out this plan at all if we hadn’t you as fire-lighter: we couldn’t do without a fourth hand.” “I’m so glad,” Norah said, happily. “When do we start, Sir John?” “We’ll slip out about half-past nine,” he answered. “You and I will stroll along in one direction, and the boys in another, and we can meet near the northern headland where we must have the beacon. Each of us must carry a bottle of petrol—I’ll see to getting them ready; and as we go we can pick up stray bits of wood. There is driftwood everywhere on the beach, and we can collect plenty beyond the inlet: I don’t want to go there, nor do I want to show up on the north headland while there is much light. We don’t know where the Germans you saw this evening may be hiding—though I would think, judging from the direction in which they were going, that their boat must be hidden in a tiny bay that lies south of the inlet. Still, it doesn’t do to risk things.” “I suppose,” said Wally, “those fellows with the boat will stay wherever they are hiding until nearly low-water; then they’ll pull round to the inlet, and the submarine will bob up, and they’ll take the other men on board and go ashore after the petrol.” “That’s the most likely thing,” O’Neill said. “We must be in position long before that. A good thing it’s a warm night: still, we shall have to lie still for a good while, and you’d better dress warmly, all of you.” He looked at his watch. “Nine o’clock, and time we began to get ready. There are crowbars in the old shed Con used as a garage, boys; I noticed them this morning. I’m going after bottles for the petrol.”