what?" cried Murray.

"I meant feel that, sir," said the man, correcting himself, and stamping
with one foot. "It felt just as if one of them short four-legged
sarpints had laid hold of my leg to pull me down for supper."

"Surely not, Tom," said Murray, with a shudder, as he felt attacked by a
sense of horrible insecurity.

"All right, sir. Say so if you like; I'm willing. But I'd keep on
stamping as long as we're here in this lovely place. I do hope, though,
as they arn't making a meal of poor old Titely; he do desarve better
luck after being speared as he was over yonder across the herring pond."

"Let's hail him again."

"All right, sir. I've wanted to do so ever so much more, but I
wouldn't, for it was telling the enemy where we are, and if we do much
of that sort of thing we shall be having that pleasant Yankee coming
shooting with his men, and we don't want that."

"Of course not, Tom, but we must risk it, for the poor fellow may be
somewhere within reach waiting for help."

"Then why don't he holler, sir?"

"Perhaps he has shouted till he is worn-out, Tom."

"Then he can't be within reach, sir, or else we should ha' heered him,
for he's got a pretty good pipe of his own."

"Well, hail him, Tom."

"All right, sir, but 'tween you and me and the starn post your voice
would go farther than mine would."

"Think so, Tom? Very well, then. _Seafowl_ ahoy!"

It was a loud tenor shout that doubtless penetrated the cane jungle
farther than would the deep bass of the able-seaman, and after a
minute's listening, Murray hailed again; but somehow the shout did not
seem to have any result.

"Let me have a try, sir," growled the sailor, and upon the middy
nodding, the man shouted five times at intervals, listening with his
hand to his ear after every hail.

"It's of no good, Tom," said Murray bitterly. "Come along, and let's be
doing something."

"That's what I was a-thinking, sir, for if we stop here much longer we
shall be reg'larly sucked down into the mud. 'Sides which, if my poor
mate hears us he won't come here. He'd on'y hail."

"And if the enemy hear us they are quite at home here, and they'll come
down upon us and put a stop to our getting across to the boat. What do
you mean by that?--What are you chuckling about?"

"You, sir," said the man. "I was thinking what an orficer you will make
some day."

"Do you mean that for banter, my man?" said Murray angrily.

"Banter, sir? What, c