available hand was landed, under Bob Roberts' command, to try, by firing
signals and listening for the reply, to reach the place where the
worn-out party were making their last stand.

The two poor fellows who had come on board were in too pitiable a plight
to move, and, even if they had gone, they could not have guided the
relief party, who, only twenty strong, leaped ashore, eager to reach
their friends, and inflict some punishment on the Malays, while the
others retreated towards the ship.

Every man was laden heavily with food and ammunition, Lieutenant
Johnson's difficulty being to keep the brave fellows from taking too
much, and hindering their fighting powers, as, with a hearty cheer, they
plunged in amidst the interlacing canes.

The task was hard, but less so than they expected--resolving itself as
it did into hacking the canes and forcing their way through; for before
they had gone far they could hear firing before them, and it was kept up
so vigorously that there was no occasion to fire a single signal.

Hour after hour did they toil on, till the firing suddenly ceased, and
they were for a moment at fault; but Bob Roberts and Old Dick, who were
leading, suddenly heard voices close at hand, where the forest growth
was thinner; and hacking and chopping away, they had nearly reached the
spot when the firing suddenly began again furiously for a few moments,
and then once more stopped.

The next minute the way was clear, and Bob Roberts, with his twenty
blue-jackets and marines, went in at the double to an opening in the
jungle where the remains of the hunting-party were making a desperate
stand against a strong body of Malay; who, spear against bayonet, were
pressing them home.

The middy took it all in at a glance, and saw that in another minute the
weak helpless wielders of rifle and bayonet would be borne down, and
they, and the sick and wounded lying in the long grass, massacred to a
man.

Major Sandars said afterwards that the oldest colonel in the service
could not have done better; for, with his sun-browned face lighting up
with excitement, and waving his sword, Bob Roberts shouted his orders to
the men, sprang forward, giving point at a great bronze-skinned Malay
who had borne the major down and was about to spear him, while with a
hearty British cheer the marines and blue-jackets dashed up, poured in a
staggering volley amongst the thronging enemy, and followed it up with a
bayonet charge along