"But you look unusually grave, Rogers; has anything happened?"

Jack told him all about Tom and Gerald's loss. Murray of course
heartily sympathised with him, and expressed his fears, as his other
friends had done, that it would be a hard matter to get the youngsters
back. He suggested, however, that Jack should try and get hold of some
natives, who might communicate with them, and perhaps assist them to
escape.

The suggestion gave him some consolation, as offering a means of
recovering the lads.

"Don't be cramped in your efforts for want of money," said Murray.
"Bribery with these fellows will go a long way, and you know that my
purse is always at your service, and never more so than on this
occasion."

"I know it, Alick," answered Jack. "Depend on it, if I can fall in with
any natives, I will try what bribery can do with them; and if my own
means are insufficient, I will come to you."

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

EFFORTS MADE TO RECOVER THE MIDSHIPMEN--MURRAY SAILS FOR ENGLAND--AN
OFFER FROM A NATIVE TO RECOVER THE MIDSHIPMEN--THE FLEET ASCENDS THE
PARANA--THE SUPPLEJACK SENT IN SEARCH OF THE ENEMY'S VESSELS--CHASES A
SCHOONER UP A RIVER--NEEDHAM CAUGHT IN A TRAP--BOAT EXPEDITION--SCHOONER
BLOWS UP, AND JACK IS BLOWN UP WITH HER--RETURN--NO NEWS OF THE
MIDSHIPMEN--THE SUPPLEJACK COMMENCES VOYAGE UP THE PARANA.

Jack keenly felt the loss of his brother Tom. What might be his and
Desmond's fate it was impossible to say, though he could not suppose
that the gauchos, savage as they were supposed to be, would put the two
young midshipmen to death. He and Adair had for several days made vain
attempts to gain information about them.

Their captors might by this time be hundreds of miles away. All they
could learn was that the troops of Rosas, having entirely abandoned Fort
Obligado, had retreated to a distance. Jack, too, heard that Murray was
certainly to be sent home in the _Tudor_, and for the sake of his friend
he was glad of this, but he then should lose the assistance of Adair in
his endeavours to recover Tom and Desmond.

He was seated in his cabin one evening after the work of the day was
over, with his head resting on his hands--a very unusual position for
him--when Lieutenant Adair was announced.

"Beg him to come below," answered Jack, and Adair entered the cabin.

"I am glad to say, my dear Jack, that I am to remain out here instead of
taking the corvette home, which, for Murray's sake as w