arry," put in Gordon, "but it might
help if I mentioned that news came down from Van last night that his men
had got the opium chaps in a semicircle and were driving them quickly
towards the river."

"Leyden, too?"

"I understand you saw Miss Sheldon on the schooner, Captain," replied
Gordon.

"Oh, do cut out the riddles!" snapped Barry. "Can't you answer a
straight question either? What has Miss Sheldon got to do with Leyden
being driven this way?"

"He is not being driven. He's too smart for that. He is coming down of
his own free will and will come the sooner because Miss Sheldon has
accepted guest's quarters in his ship."

"Oh!"

Barry made no further remark but led the way back to the point where the
main river rolled by in full sight. Both banks of the creek were rank
with lush jungle; great, warped trees seemed to stagger, so gnarled were
their trunks; while immense beards of moss depended from their hideous
branches almost to the water. A sullen, ominous splash under the bank
was sufficient warning against frivolous bathing.

They stood on a tiny patch of bare ground at the mouth of the creek and
gazed far up and down the turbid stream, sending up its simmering steam
under a hot sun, and evil with feverish reek. Little stood with his back
to a lone tree in the bare patch of earth and pulled his hat over his
eyes to shade them from the water's glare, and something touched him on
the shoulder from above.

"Ouch!" he yelled, springing away in deadly fear of great serpents that
roosted in such trees as that. He looked up, and his companions stared
at him in amusement. And a long, lean, brown arm reached down, and in
the skinny, black-nailed hand a stick was gripped,--a stick such as had
once before been handed to Jerry Rolfe in the jungle.

"Big fella talk," came a thin voice from the tree limb. "Look-see. Me
lookout."

Almost proof now against surprise, Barry took the stick and unrolled the
leaf cover. It was a brief note, signed Vandersee, and read: "Leyden has
learned my plans. He knows where you have laid your ship. Will attack
you to-night with inland savages. Have no fear. I shall be close by.
Halt Houten and take him on your ship."

Again that thin voice from the tree, and the long, skinny arm handed
down a second stick, more bulky than the other.

"Gib to odder big fella. You no see. He for Missy Houten."

"Everything laid out like a stage set," chuckled Little. "We are surely
horning in on