s that
they became at last menacing, and Jack trembled for the consequences of
Ned retaliating with a blow.

"It would do no good, Ned," he said earnestly. "But it makes us seem so
cowardly to let them poke at us with their spears, sir, and never do
anything."

"Never mind how it seems, Ned. You are not cowardly."

"Well, I'd punch any fellow's head who said I was, sir, or who said the
same about you."

"They can't say it so that we can understand, and let them think what
they like. We'd fight if there was anything to be got by it; but there
isn't, Ned. Let's pretend to be beaten now, and then they will not be
so watchful. To-night they will sleep somewhere down near the shore,
and we may get a chance to escape."

"Then I'm not to hit out, no matter what they do to me?"

"Certainly not."

"But suppose I see 'em hitting or prodding you, sir? Must do something
then."

"Nothing whatever, Ned; I'll bear it patiently in the hope of getting a
chance to escape later on."

"All right, sir; but I'm getting very hungry for a bit of revenge."

"Wait, Ned, and perhaps it will come."

The difficulties of the descent detained them so that it was fast
nearing sunset when the ravine began to widen out and pass beneath the
branches of the huge forest monarchs which clothed the lower slopes of
the mountain, and wearied out with the day's exertion, Jack began to
look out eagerly for the green, park-like expanse which followed the
dense jungle, to be succeeded in turn by the sands that ran down into
the lagoon.

The more open part appeared sooner than he expected, and with it the
river widened into a good-sized pool of open water, where, to the
prisoners' surprise, they suddenly found themselves face to face with
another party of blacks, who welcomed the new-comers with an eager
jabbering as they closed round and examined their captives curiously.

"Our chance of escape cut shorter, Mr Jack," said Ned.

"Yes, I'm afraid so, Ned. They must have been camping here; and I
suppose we shall have to stop in this place for the night?"

"Dunno. P'r'aps," said Ned. "See that, Mr Jack?"

He glanced down beneath the trees, where the water lay dark and deep;
but for a few moments Jack saw nothing unusual. The next moment though
he uttered a little cry of surprise.

"Yes," he said, "I see it now, the boat--drawn right up beneath the
boughs."

It was impossible to comprehend the words of the reunited parties of the
blac