rge of the brig.

Jose Gonzalves declined accompanying the expedition, on the plea that
should a reverse be met with, he would be knocked on the head by his
countrymen, which would have undoubtedly been the case, so Jack was
obliged to dispense with his services. The men gave way with a will,
hoping soon to overtake the chase. They pulled on, however, for some
time without again catching sight of her.

Although the shore offered abundant shelter to an enemy they were
allowed to pass without opposition, and concluded therefore that no
force of armed men was in the neighbourhood. A sharp lookout was kept
on either hand for any opening into which the schooner might have made
her way.

At last they reached the mouth of a narrow channel which, perhaps,
connected the river they were on with some other stream, or it might,
they thought, possibly be a river falling into the first. It was a
question whether the schooner had gone up it, and on the chance of her
having done so, Needham volunteered to explore it, while the other two
boats pulled up the main stream. Jack was at first unwilling to let him
go, lest he might be overpowered. At last, however, he consented,
ordering him not to attack the schooner, but should he catch sight of
her to return immediately and follow the other boats with the
information. Jack and Terence accordingly continued their course, while
Needham pulled up the channel.

Jack did not believe that the schooner would have ventured into so
narrow a place, and he fully hoped before long to catch sight of her.
The two boats pulled on for nearly half an hour; the channel, as they
advanced, narrowing, till the lieutenants became convinced that the
schooner could not without wind have got so far ahead. They accordingly
pulled round, being now satisfied that she must have gone up the channel
into which Needham had entered. They had almost reached the mouth of it
when distant shots were heard; the next instant there came the sound of
regular volleys, fired in quick succession.

"Needham must have fallen into a trap, I fear," said Jack, "we must
hurry to his assistance. Give way, my lads!"

The men needed no urging, and in a few minutes they were entering the
channel. Though narrower at the mouth, after they had gone some way up
it widened, and on sounding, they found that there was water enough for
a far larger vessel than the schooner. The sound of the firing now
became more distinct; then it