"Come, Mr Roberts," cried the lieutenant impatiently; "you have been a long time."

"Yes, sir," said Bob, smiling at Ali, "there was a good deal of spear-throwing towards the last, and we had to dodge them."

"The enemy is not easily frightened," said the lieutenant, as the propeller once more rapidly revolved; "but we must get back, for I fancy I can hear firing below, and I am afraid they are attacking the fort now for a change."

"What shall you do, sir?" said Bob eagerly.

"It is not the custom, Mr Roberts, for the officer in command to explain his plans to his subordinates; but if you must know, I shall run the steamer as close up to the fort as I can, and there keep her, if the Malays do not prove too strong for us."

Then walking to and fro for a few minutes, he ended by going up to where old d.i.c.k, with a bandage round his head, was calmly masticating a lump of tobacco.

"I have never thanked you for your capital idea," said the lieutenant.

"That hot water saved us in a terrible pinch."

"Yes, sir," said d.i.c.k, grinning, "it saved us; but it warn't my idee at all. 'There's lots of boiling water, d.i.c.k,' says Mr Roberts, yonder; 'screw on the hose, and tell the engineer what you want. Then when all's ready, and it seems a good time, lay hold of the branch, and play up among the n.i.g.g.e.rs,' sir; and I did as soon as I could, but my head were in that muzzy state that--"

"There is firing going on," said the lieutenant. "Mr Roberts, clear again for action."

"Action, eh?" said old d.i.c.k. "Then I can't do better than say another word to the engineer, for of all the ways to clear the decks this hot water system's about the best." So saying, d.i.c.k went to screw the hose on the valve once more, muttering and talking to himself the while, and ever and again slapping one of his legs and bursting into a series of chuckles.

"Lor' a mussy me," he said; "and how I argyed with Mr Roberts there about the n.i.g.g.e.rs not being clean. Why that's what put it into his precious head. I wonder what they looks like to-day, after their washing."

"Took the skin off, I should say, d.i.c.k," said Bob Roberts, who had heard the old man's words.

"And sarve 'em right, sir," said the old sailor. "What did they mean to do to us but take us right out of our skins, and end us right off at once? And them as plays at bowls must expect rubbers."

So saying, d.i.c.k, who had finished his speech without an audience, seemed quite forgetful of his wound, and went down to the engine-room, where the engineer and firemen saluted him with a broad grin; to which d.i.c.k responded with one a little broader, as he stood mopping the perspiration from his face.

"Why, d.i.c.k, old man," said the engineer, "after this I think we can show them gunners a trick or two. It would have puzzled them to clear the decks like that. However came you to think of it?"

"Think of it?" said d.i.c.k. "I shouldn't never have thought of such a game; it was young Mr Roberts, you know. But did you see 'em run?"

"Run!" said the engineer. "Running was nothing to it; you cleared the deck like a shot."

"Shot!" said d.i.c.k scornfully; "I should like to see the shot or sh.e.l.l that would do it half as well. Why, look here, my lads, your shot and your sh.e.l.l kills and murders people, knocks off their legs and wings, and precious often their heads. A shot goes bang in amongst a lot o'

folk, and there's an end of it. But here I was with the copper branch in my fisties, and I just sprinkled 'em here and there like a shower and--"

"Give it 'em hot," interposed one of the firemen leaning on his shovel.

"Ay, I just did," said d.i.c.k; "not as it was much hotter than it is down here, my lads, but hot I did give it 'em, and there wasn't one who would face it. And that brings me down to why I come here."

"Oh, we know why you come here, d.i.c.ky," said another of the firemen, who had just been stoking a furnace, and whose face shone with perspiration.

"You said to yourself, you did, there's them poor chaps down there in the engine-room getting half-roasted, and with their throats as dry as brown paper; now, being a good-hearted sort of fellow as I am, I'll just go down below and say to 'em, a nice cooling drink o' lime juice and water with a dash o' rum in it, is what you all wants in a big tin can.

Shall I get it for you? That's what you come down here to say."

"Blest if ever I see such a clever chap as you are, Sam Walsh," cried d.i.c.k, slapping his leg and laughing. "You can read a fellow just as if he was made up o' large print and big leaves. You've really hit it, but you see a drink like that wants mixing; and don't you see, though you may drink it cold it wants hot water to mix it? and that's what I did come about--more hot water."

"To mix up for us, d.i.c.k?" said the engineer, laughing.

"No," said d.i.c.k, "I didn't say that, my lad," and a bigger grin came over his face; "what I want is the hot water to mix the grog for the n.i.g.g.e.rs, as it seems they liked the last dose so much, that I'm to get ready some more."

"There's plenty--hot enough for anything, d.i.c.k," said the engineer, "and I'll keep up the supply."

"Silence below there!" cried a voice; and the engineer gave his subordinates a nod.

"You'd better get on deck, d.i.c.k, old man," he said quietly; and then in response to a signal from above, he seized and altered a couple of handles, listened for a fresh order, and slackened the speed of the engine; while d.i.c.k went back on deck, satisfied that there was an abundant supply of hot water ready for the next action, and seeing that the island was once more in sight.

A party of Malays were at the head, but they disappeared amidst the trees as the steamer came steadily down stream, while now as they drew nearer the sounds of smart firing could be heard, telling that an engagement was in progress. Smoke, too, was rising slowly above the feathery palm-trees, but not in such dense volumes as that which could still be seen spreading out like a cloud above the jungle, where the prahu was burning.

A sharp series of orders followed, and every man stood at his post; for boats could be seen going to and from the island, and it was plain enough to the meanest comprehension on deck that if they meant to aid the occupants of the fort they had come none too soon.

CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT.

PLEASANT DAYS AT THE FORT.

Matters seemed to grow worse from the moment that Adam Gray started off on his mission to the steamer, and Captain Smithers' brows seemed to have settled into a constant frown, for it was no light matter to be in command of the little fort, right away from aid, and only with a limited supply of provisions. They might be made to last weeks or months; but the end must come, and he saw no chance of help from outside, unless the steamer went off to the nearest station in search thereof.

Then there was the constant worry upon his brain about the expedition and its fate, for there could be no doubt about Ali's news; the force had been divided by cunning, and, with such treacherous enemies, he felt but little hope of seeing any of the party again.

Fortunately for him and the sharers of his imprisonment--for it was little else--their minds were too much occupied by the defence of the place to give them time to sit and brood over their troubles. There was always something to do, some weak part to strengthen; and Captain Smithers longed for the help of the lieutenant with the steamer to guard outside of the fort.

There was this to consider too--if Lieutenant Johnson could get the "Startler" off the mud, and round to the other side by Dullah's hut and the landing-place, if they were very hard pressed the fort could be abandoned, and, with the women, they could take refuge on board. Or better still--though he felt reluctant to make such an arrangement--the women could be got on board, and then the fort could be defended to the last extremity.

In the course of those next hours while awaiting Gray's return, the Malays made two or three sharp attacks, all of which were repelled; and then, unable to a.s.sist, they waited, and listened to the engagement going on upon the other side of the patch of jungle that clothed a part of the island. The heavy reports of the steamer's guns made the frames of the lightly-built dwellings rattle, and the smoke could be seen rising above the trees; but how the tide of war set it was impossible to tell, and Captain Smithers, as he walked up and down, felt as if he would have given anything for a trusty native spy who would have sought out news of what was going on.

Failing this, and not daring to send out a second party, although Tom Long volunteered to go, there was nothing for it but to wait, especially as their besiegers had evidently been greatly augmented in numbers, and one of the soldiers had but to show himself for a moment, to bring upon himself a shower of bullets.

The suspense grew maddening, as the noise of the engagement between the prahus and the "Startler" increased. The yells of the Malays could be plainly heard; then the reports of the heavy guns ceased; there was a little rifle firing, the occasional crack of a revolver; and lastly came the faintly-heard noise of men contending in deadly strife.

This lasted for a while, and the occupants of the fort mentally pictured the scene going on, but they could not comprehend the strange shrieking they heard as of men in terrible pain.

Captain Smithers' heart sank, and he glanced at Tom Long, in whose countenance he read a confirmation of his fears; and on looking farther he saw Mrs Major Sandars, with Rachel Linton and her cousin, watching him attentively.

They read his face too as he turned away, and their dread also seemed confirmed.

That ominous silence of the steamer's guns pointed to the fact that she had been boarded by the Malays in too strong parties to be successfully resisted, and a deep gloom sank upon all within the fort.

There was not a man present who would not willingly have gone to the help of those on board the steamer; but not only were they hemmed-in, but had they made a successful sally they had no means of reaching her.

Nothing could be done, then, but wait, in the hope that some on board would escape and join them; and to this end a constant watch for fugitives was kept up, a dozen men standing ready at the gate to rush out and bring any stragglers in.

Just when they had descended to the greatest depths of misery, and Tom Long was debating with himself as to whether he ought not to go to Miss Linton and try to comfort her, telling her that so long as his arm could wield a sword she might reckon herself to be perfectly safe, there was a peculiar crashing sound, with a fresh burst of yells and cries.

The ladies shuddered, and longed to go in and be alone, but their excitement was such that they felt obliged to stay out there in the opening, risking many bullets, so as to be face to face with the worst.

Something terrible had happened they all knew, and at last the suspense was so great that in the presence of the ladies Captain Smithers exclaimed,--"Long, you will have to take a dozen men and learn the worst!"