pick, and basket had to be laid on one side, and rifles
seized. The attack repelled, the fight for water was renewed; and to
the intense delight of all, about ten feet down the pure life-giving
element came gushing in a clear current from the rock.

Meanwhile Ali's eyes, which were more experienced in the ways of the
enemy than those of his companions, read plainly enough that far from
being damped by their ill-success they were preparing for a more general
assault, and he confided his opinions to Tom Long.

"I can't see any difference," said Tom Long, after a careful inspection
through his glass. "They looked just like that every time they came on,
and--ah! there are some more of them, though."

"More," echoed Ali. "They are doubled in number. Look, too, at the way
in which they are making bundles of reeds and canes."

"Well, let them," said Tom Long; "our rifle bullets will go through
those fast enough. If I were Smithers, I'd give them a good searching
fire now, and let them know that our rifles make fine practice at a
thousand yards' distance. Those fellows are not six hundred."

"Better wait till every shot is more likely to tell," replied Ali. "The
bullets would of course go through those bundles of cane; but do you not
see what they mean?"

"No," said Tom Long, quietly, "unless they mean to burn us out."

"That is what they do mean," replied Ali. "And look! Quick! give the
alarm! They are coming on at once!"

"Let them," said Tom Long, phlegmatically. "They won't alarm us. Nice
people your fellow-countrymen, Ali!"

"Fellow-countrymen!" said the young Malay, scornfully. "My
fellow-countrymen are gentlemen! These are the scourings of the
country, with half the scoundrels from Borneo, Java, and Sumatra--men
who have lived all their lives upon piracy and murder."

"Well, whatever they are," said Tom Long, coolly, "they are coming on,
so I may as well let the lads know. All right, though; every one is on
the alert, and I daresay we can give a good account of them before they
get back. Are you sure that these are all a bad lot?"

"Sure?" cried Ali. "They are the scum of the east."

"Then we'll skim them a little more," said Tom Long. "Hi! sergeant, let
me have a rifle and some cartridges; I think I should like to pot a few
cut-throat pirates myself."

Sergeant Lund handed him the required rifle, Captain Smithers coming up
at the moment, and as he swept the surroundings of the little fort