neighbourhood of the little fort. Once or twice the nine-pounder they
had there spoke out, but the principal part of the firing was that of
rifles. Lights were seen from the deck, here and there amidst the
trees, and were moving upon the shore, where the people were evidently
in a state of alarm. Still the occupants of the island seemed to be
making a good fight, and the lieutenant felt that he could not be doing
them better service than by disposing of the two prahus, and to this end
the steamer went on, its commander having a sharp look-out kept, and a
man busy with the lead in the forepart of the vessel.

At the end of a few minutes the lights on the prahus were seen; the
order, "Full speed ahead!" given, for they were now in the middle of the
open reach of the river, and Lieutenant Johnson hoped to sink one or the
other of his adversaries by using a little energy.

The shadowy shapes of the two boats were made out at the end of a
minute, and a couple of guns were brought to bear upon them, the firing
being replied to for a time, the flashes from the guns serving to light
up the darkness of the night for a moment, while the roar of the big
guns went rolling along the surface of the water, and was echoed from
the trees upon the bank.

"Keep that lead going more quickly," shouted the lieutenant, as the last
of the prahus, apparently unharmed, passed round the head of the island,
placing the wooded land between her and the steamer, which followed
rapidly in their wake.

The lieutenant's orders were obeyed, and the sounding shouted by the man
who handled the lead line.

The river was very deep, but as no good chart existed, and it was dark,
extra caution was being used, and all was going on well. In another
minute she would have rounded the bend of the island and been in full
chase of the fleet enemy, when just as the man had shouted out the
depth, there was a sudden shock, which threw several men off their legs,
and to the dismay of all, the steamer was tightly fixed upon a mudbank,
every effort to release her only seeming to make her settle more firmly
down. And this at a moment when her presence might serve to change the
fortunes of the attack being made upon the residency.

CHAPTER FORTY.

HOW PRIVATE GRAY WENT A-FISHING.

Private Gray had hard work to seem composed as he went away to execute
his orders. The remarks of Captain Smithers had come like an
endorsement of his own suspicions, and in imag