ose holders kept themselves hidden
behind the trees,--"well, sir, this is hot, and no mistake."

"Yes," said Tom Long, excitedly; "but be careful, my lads, don't waste a
shot; you must be getting short."

"They've only about six rounds each, sir, now," said the sergeant; "but
they've got the bayonets."

"Yes," said Tom, as he stood sword in one hand, revolver in the other;
"but we mustn't let them get at us with their spears. I can't leave a
man behind, sergeant."

"Then we'd better stop as we are for a few minutes, and get breath, sir,
and then see which is the best way to go."

The sergeant hurried to a couple of the men who were exposing themselves
a little too freely, and then returned to Tom Long, who was standing in
the middle of two sides of a triangle composed of four men a side, and
another forming the apex.

"I'd make a dash for it, sergeant," said the ensign, "only I should be
sure to lose some of the boys; while if we stop here we shall get
speared. It's a puzzle, isn't it? I say, I don't feel half so--so--"

"Scared, sir?"

"Well, yes; I didn't like to say frightened, sergeant," replied Tom,
smiling, "because it sounds so queer."

"Ah, sir, you might say anything now before the lads, they wouldn't
mind; and after the plucky way you led us on, they'd follow you
anywhere. But hadn't we better let the enemy have a few shot, sir?
They're closing in fast."

Tom Long was about to give the order for which his men were anxiously
waiting, when he became aware of something going on in a clump of palms
about forty yards away.

"What are they doing there, sergeant?" he said. "Look!"

"Getting ready for a rush, sir. Hadn't we better form square?"

"No; only close up a little," said Tom, sharply, as he set his teeth;
for he knew that they were on the brink of a hand-to-hand encounter.

For though pretty well screened by the trees, it was evident that a
large party of the Malays were getting ready for a rush, when _bang--
crash_, there was the report of a gun from the steamer, followed almost
instantly by the bursting of a shell in the very thick of the trees
where the Malays had gathered, with the result that there was quite an
opening rent in that part of the jungle, and the threatening party was
scattered like chaff.

"That's what I calls the prettiest shot I ever see," said one of the
men.

"Forward!" shouted Tom Long, and taking advantage of the momentary
panic, he hurried his little party