"What about, sir?"

"What they are saying about us at the Residency. I suppose they will give us the credit of not deserting."

"Course they will, sir. They will be saying that we are lying speared somewhere not far from headquarters. My word, sir, won't Mrs Morley take on about losing you, sir! And, oh dear! n.o.body won't miss me-- except old Tipsy. Haw, haw, haw! He'd like to have me to bully-rag when he gets back to headquarters again."

"Will n.o.body else miss you, Pete?"

"No, sir--I d'know, though. Yes--old Mother Smithers, next time she has a chance to have a turn at the wash-tub. It will be, 'Now, Pete, fresh water, please.' Wish she'd got some of what's in this precious boat!

Talk about a leaky sieve! Why, it's coming in everywhere. We shall have to begin baling soon, Mister Archie. To be sure; that will be next job after I've rubbed up the gun, and--This 'ere ain't a fruit-tree, is it, sir?"

"Absurd!"

"Suppose it is, sir. I was thinking of cocoa-nuts and getting one down to bale with. I shall have to use my cap. It's wonderful how it's stuck on. I ketched it slipping off twice, though, when we were creeping through the wood."

Peter reached for the gun, and began to rub the barrels with such leaves as he could pick; but after trying to polish for some time, he shook his head in despair.

"Only making it worse, sir.--I say, Mister Archie, you are not going to sleep, are you?"

Archie, who was resting one hand on the side of the boat and bending down sideways, rose quickly.

"Hist!" he whispered. "Listen."

Peter sat motionless for some little time, and then, looking full in his companion's eyes, shook his head slowly. Then a look of intelligence came into his face, and he nodded two or three times quickly, leaned forward, and placing his lips close to his companion's ear, he whispered:

"Poles! Boat coming up-stream."

The two lads sat thinking of their own slow advance as they had punted upwards in the darkness, and fully understood the effort that was being made to force the advancing boat against the running water.

Then the same thought must have animated both, for after peering through the leaves by which they were surrounded, each lay back upon the thwart he occupied and cautiously began drawing one of the thick boughs that touched the water closer in so as to increase the shelter; but no sooner had Archie begun to disturb the water at the side of the boat than there was a violent disturbance, and something dashed out into the open river.

"Croc," whispered Peter, "or some large fish. Wish I had him on my bayonet, sir. I could eat him raw."

"Hist!" whispered Archie, for the sound of splashing poles was giving place to the regular beat of oars; and crouching low, wondering whether their shelter would be pierced by the keen eyes of the enemy, they lay waiting, listening to the steady plash and the muttering of voices, which grew louder, and, looking bright in painted gold, with the rowers'

silken bajus gleaming gold and yellow in the sunshine, a large dragon-boat glided by, so close to the lads' hiding-place that the rowers' blades on their side nearly swept against the leaves, and they could see the gleam of the eyes and glint of spears, for the boat was crowded with armed men, and beneath the palm shelter in the stern they could note the gaily plaided silken sarongs of the princ.i.p.al leaders of the party of Malays.

Feeling that they must be seen, the lads hardly dared to breathe till the gilded stern of the naga had pa.s.sed; and even then it seemed as if the steersman was looking back straight through the hanging leaves so that he must detect the boat.

At last both were breathing freely, for the plash of oars was growing more distant, and Peter, who had found it horribly painful to remain silent so long, hazarded a few words.

"Felt as if my heart was in my mouth, sir. But do you know what I was thinking all the time?"

"That they must see us, Pete?"

"Of course, sir; but something else."

"Speak lower, man!"

"All right, sir; they can't hear. But can't you guess?"

Archie shook his head.

"Well, I'll tell you, sir. Here's a double gun; there's four boxes of cartridges. Why haven't you got it loaded and ready to blow a couple of the enemy overboard, and then _click, click_, shove in two more cartridges, as I should hand to you, ready for two more shots? That would be enough to send them to the right-about, for they wouldn't know but what there might be half a company of us hiding here."

"How are we to get at the cartridges, Pete?" said Archie, brightening up, for his companion's words sent a thrill of hope through his breast, and their position seemed not half so defenceless as before.

"I've got my knife, sir."

"What! to cut through the lid?"

"No, sir. It's screwed down. I think I could turn the screws with the big blade."

Taking one of the boxes on his knee, he brought the blade to bear, but dared not put forth all his force, and for some time he could not get even one of the fastenings to move, for the water had made the wood swell.

"It's no use, Pete."

"Oh, ain't it, sir? They are in precious tight, but we have got lots of time; and look--the top of this box is steaming, and it's drying fast.

I shall do it if I don't break my knife."

_Click_!

"There, now, if half-an-inch of the blade ain't gone! And I thought it was a bit of the best stuff in our company. Well, there's a bit left to work with, and I must try and cut through."

"No, no!" cried Archie eagerly. "Try if the broken blade will not go into the ends of the screws."

"What! and use it as a screw-driver, sir?" cried Peter joyously. "Why, it will be quite easy now. Call mine a head! Why, it's as thick as a bowl. Here, take it coolly, sir! Here's one coming out as easy as easy.--There's one! Don't shout 'Hooray!' sir, for sound runs along over the water like a skate on ice. Why, my knife is like a real tool.

Couldn't have broke off better, sir, and in half-an-hour we shall be all right if--"

"If what, Pete?"

"The powder ain't damp."

CHAPTER FORTY TWO.

"DON'T YOU KNOW ME?"

To the great satisfaction of both, the upper layers of the cartridges proved to be quite dry, and, at Peter's suggestion, they made sure of having a couple of dozen handy by bestowing them in various pockets.

"All right for present use, sir," said Peter; and placing in a few leaves to refill the box, he lightly screwed down the lid again.

"It's a pity to do that," said Archie.

"Think so, sir? We have got to get those boxes down to the Residency, and it might happen that we should be obliged to hide them somewhere.

Anyhow, what we've got out will be handy. Now then, I want it to get dark. What do you say to one of us taking an hour's snooze?"

"By all means, Pete. It will help us to get through the long watching before night. There, I could not sleep now. You lie down while I keep watch."

"Oh no, sir; you first."