e going on some expedition or
another, and I've been trying to settle it down in my mind. Don't think
it's a coon hunt, do you, sir?"

"No, Tom; they are all too grave and serious for that."

"Yes, sir, but that might be 'cause they don't want to scare the game."

"No; this is no hunt, Tom."

"P'raps not, sir, and I only fancied that's what it might be. No, sir,
I don't feel much worried about it--oneasy, you may say. Do you, sir?"

"Well, to be honest, Tom, I don't like to be shut up like this among
these blacks. Why, they're growing thicker and thicker!"

"That's so, sir. They're hundreds upon hundreds strong. What does the
chief officer think of it?"

"He doesn't say, Tom, but I could see that he felt the need of caution
by the order he gave me about keeping close together."

"Oh, he did that, sir, did he? But I say, I wonder what the skipper
would say about our being in such a hole."

Murray looked sharply round at the speaker, who to his surprise began to
chuckle softly.

"I don't see anything to laugh at, Tom May," said the middy sharply.

"No sir," replied the man; "I s'pose not. There aren't really nothing."

"Then why do you laugh?"

"Couldn't help it, sir. Only you see it does seem such cheek on our
part, just a boat and a half's crew and our orficer marching right in
here no one knows where, only as it's forest and just as cool as you
please, and all these here niggers--reg'lar black thunderstorm of 'em--
shutting us in, and all as quiet as mice. We're not a bit frightened of
'em, but I'll be bound to say as they're scared of us. It do make me
laugh, it do; but I s'pose it's because we've got what they arn't, sir--
discipline, you see."

"I think it takes something more than discipline, Tom," said the
midshipman. "Our men's pluck has something to do with it."

"Well, sir, I s'pose it has," replied the man. "But look here, how
they're standing on each side for us to pass through. Talk about
hundreds, why if it goes on like this there'll be thousands soon."

For the rich red glowing light became stronger and stronger, until at
the end of half-an-hour the trees grew more open and the party could
make out flame and smoke arising, while the silence of the marching men
was at times broken by the crackle of burning wood.

"Well, sir," exclaimed the big sailor, "I can't say as I can make it out
yet what game this is going to be, but anyhow we're in for it whatever
it is. I say, Mr M