al time. A similar plan was carried out
with the sampan, during the latter part of the journey, for it was often
invisible; and so at last they felt their way onward in silence, till
the Malay allowed his sampan to drift alongside the bows of the leading
boat, and whispered to the interpreter his conviction that they were
close up to the stockade.

"Might be anywhere," muttered the midshipman.

"Yes, sir, it's a thick 'un," growled old Dick; "and if I was in command
o' this here expedition, I should give orders for all the Jacks to out
cutlashes and cut the fog in pieces, while the sogers and marines forked
it over with their bay'nets."

"Silence, there!" came from one of the officers, just as a faint breeze
began to spring up, as if to solve the difficulty; breaking the fog into
patches, and then forcing a way right through, so that it was swept to
right and left of the river, passing under the trees.

The change was almost magical, for at the end of ten minutes the river
was quite clear, and by the glittering starlight they could see the
stockade on their right, while moored in front of it were two large
prahus.

The boats closed in for the officer in command to give his final orders
for the attack, and every man's heart beat fast with excitement, as he
clutched his weapons.

They had no knowledge of the enemy's strength; but trusting to a night
surprise, they felt satisfied of being able to put him to flight; so two
boats were sent to board the prahus, while the three others made for the
stockade, one to attack in front, while the others landed on either
side, to take it in the rear, expecting an easy task, for there was not
a sign of life as far as they could see.

But if the leaders of the expedition counted upon trapping the Malays
asleep, they were mistaken. There is too much of his native tiger in
the Malays' nature for such a march to be stolen upon them; and, just as
the boats separated, and began rapidly to advance, the silence was
broken by the deafening clangour of a gong, lights appeared suddenly in
the stockade and in both the prahus, and to the astonishment of the
attacking force, there was the flashing of muskets, the louder roar of
the lelahs or small brass guns, and the surface of the river was
splashed up in all directions by the bullets.

Fortunately the aim was bad, and the boats had separated, so that no one
was injured, as, with a loud cheer, the sailors made their oars bend,
the wate