ant, as he reached the water's edge at the head
of his men, looked down the slowly gliding water in vain for signs of
the enemy, the long curve of the bend to his right being unoccupied, and
_no trace_ of a boat in sight.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.

WHERE IS THE SLAVER'S LUGGER?

"Murray!" came from the _Seafowl's_ boat, as Murray gave orders for the
men to let it float down from beneath the trees where he had kept it
moored with his men, partly screened by the overhanging boughs, while
lying down in the bottom firing from behind the bulwark.

"Thankye, sir," cried the lad excitedly. "We have been longing for
you."

"But the enemy, my lad?"

"Place four men behind the trees there, sir, ready to fire. You'll see
their boat come stealing out from round the bend, sir, directly. We
have driven them back for the moment."

"A boat attacking from below?"

"Yes, sir; a lugger, full of men. We were quiet for some time;" and the
lad hurriedly explained to his chief how that the enemy must have
cleared away the tree-trunk with which the river had been dammed, and
brought up a boat, from which for quite an hour they had been firing,
after making one fierce attack, and being met with a steady fire which
drove them back.

"Bravo! Well done, my lad!" said the lieutenant warmly.

"But it was quite time you came, sir. We couldn't have held out much
longer."

"Nonsense!" said the lieutenant, laughing encouragement. "You would
never have given up. Why, you had plenty of water."

"Yes, sir," said Murray, with a grim smile; "but the cartridges had
nearly run out."

"Ours have not, Murray," said the lieutenant, for the men whom he had
posted according to the middy's advice just then opened fire upon a
boat, which looked at the first glance uncommonly like the dismasted
lugger which had been seen lying in the mouth of the little river when
the _Seafowl_ first entered the river.

A shot or two came in reply from the enemy before the lugger drew back
round the bend, to be followed by the cutter, which came in sight of the
enemy at last in time to see that the lugger's masts had been stepped
and her sails hoisted, to be filled out by the breeze, which sent the
boat rapidly gliding down stream.

The men looked sharply at their commander, as if fully expecting to
receive orders to row with all their might; and Mr Anderson noticed it,
for he turned to the two middies, and by way of answering the silent
question--

"No,