Sometimes the batteries were silent at night; but Wolfe kept things alive on this occasion, in order to cover the approach of the boarding party.

Now the mouth of the harbour was reached, and the little fleet gathered itself more compactly together, and the muffling of the oars was carefully looked to.

Directions as to the order to be observed had been given before, and the boats fell into their appointed position with quickness and accuracy.
Julian took the helm of the leading boat, and steered it across the harbour towards the anchored vessels.

He knew exactly where and how they lay.

And soon the little flotilla was lying compactly together, its presence all unsuspected, within a cable's length of the two battleships.
Now the time for concealment was over.