nteers for his expedition.
They went well-armed in case any hostile natives might appear, though
the country people in general showed a friendly disposition.

Jack and Terence while at their frugal supper of corn beef and biscuit,
talked over a plan for protecting the men, should they be fired at as
they ascended. They arranged to build a barricade of hammocks and bags
to defend the helmsman on the port side while the crew were sent below,
they of course intending to remain on deck.

"The fellows have not shown themselves to be good shots, and if the
breeze holds we may run by them without much damage," observed Jack.

"But if the wind should fall or blow down the river?" suggested Terence.

"Then we must go about and wait for a better opportunity for running
up," answered Jack. "We may try it at night and may slip by the more
dangerous places without observation."

They both talked hopefully of recovering the midshipmen, and yet they
could not help occasionally feeling that the youngsters might after all
have lost their lives.

At last they turned in, Bevan having the watch. Though very gallant
British officers, they were not heroes of romance, and therefore
required sleep as much as anybody else. Jack had left directions to be
called should a breeze spring up or Needham return on board. It had
gone two bells in the morning watch when Norris came into the cabin and
awoke Jack.

"There is a light air from the south'ard, and it has been getting
stronger for the last few minutes, but the boat has not come off yet,"
he said.

Jack sprang up.

"We will make sail and stand over to the other shore to pick her up," he
answered; "we must not delay a moment."

The anchor was hove up, and sail quickly made, the breeze rapidly
increasing. She had got halfway across to the western shore when the
boat was observed approaching and was soon alongside.

"We have seen nothing of the young gentlemen, sir, nor has the spy shown
his face," said Needham. "I waited till the last moment, hoping that
some one would appear. I fancied I saw people moving about on the bank,
and now and then heard voices close down to the boat. We pulled some
way down the river and then back again as high up as we had gone down,
every now and then shouting out the young gentlemen's names, so that if
they had been anywhere hereabouts they must have heard us."

Jack agreed with Needham that Tom and Gerald were not likely to be in
the neighbou