othing but the hum of insects and the distant splash of some
reptile in the muddy river.

"If we could have only heard some news of those poor fellows, I would
not have cared," said the lieutenant after a pause. "Perhaps at this
time they are anxiously hoping that help may come, and wondering why we
have not sent in search of them; while we, with men and guns, are lying
here helpless as a log. Oh, Roberts, it's enough to make a man jump
overboard and--"

"There it is again," cried Bob.

"What?"

"A shot!" he cried excitedly. "I'm sure I heard a rifle-shot."

"Any of you men hear a shot?" said the lieutenant to the watch.

"No, sir; no, sir."

"I heard nothing, Roberts," said the lieutenant. "You are excited with
exertion. Go below and have a glass of sherry, my lad, and put in a
dose of quinine. I can't afford to have you down with fever."

"No, thanky," said Bob; "I could manage the glass of wine, but I'm not
going to spoil it with the quinine, I'm--There now, what's that? If
that isn't a rifle-shot I'm no man."

"Then it isn't a rifle-shot," said the lieutenant, grimly. "I heard
nothing."

"Beg pardon, sir, I think it was a shot."

"There's another!" cried Bob, excitedly. "It's our fellows somewhere."

There were a couple of distant shots, faintly heard now by all.

"You're right, Roberts," said the lieutenant, hastily; "but it is not
obliged to be our fellows."

"They couldn't have followed up from the island, sir," cried Bob; "so it
must be."

"Unless it is a party of Malays shooting."

"Then they are shooting our men," cried Bob. "They wouldn't be hunting
when it's getting dark."

"There's another shot," said the lieutenant, now growing as excited as
his companion. "What shall we do?"

"Fire a big gun," said Bob.

"That would be letting our enemies know where we are," said the
lieutenant.

"Well," said Bob, sturdily, "let 'em know. It will show 'em that we are
not afraid of them."

"You are right, Roberts," said lieutenant Johnson, quickly. "Unshot the
bow gun there."

The gun was opened; the shot cartridge drawn out, a blank one
substituted; and directly after, the black darkness that had seemed to
settle down over them was cut by a vivid flash, and the utter silence
that was brooding over the river was broken by the deep-mouthed roar of
the great breech-loading cannon.

The report seemed to roll off into the distance and echo amongst the
mountains; and then, as it died