ll fire from. Ah, that was better aimed,"
he said, as the brass lelah on board the prau was fired, to strike the
sand in front of the natural stockade, and then fly right over the
sailors' heads. "I'll lay a wager, Gregory, that our friends don't make
such another shot as that to-day."

Then followed a few minutes of painful inaction, which seemed drawn out
to hours. While the prau swept slowly in, the sun beat down with
terrible force, and there was not a breath of wind to cool the burning
air. Fortunately, though, the little stream gurgled among the stones,
and was so handy that the men had but to scoop out holes in the sand, or
to form them by turning over some huge stone, to have in a few minutes
tiny pools of clear cool water with which to slake their thirst.

On came the prau, with her swarthy crew crowding her bamboo decks, and
their dark skins shining in the sun. Their spears bristled, and as they
leaned over the side and peered eagerly among the bushes, the party
ashore felt to a man that once they were in the power of so
savage-looking a crew no mercy must be expected.

The men lay close, and to the enemy there was nothing to indicate that
there would be any defence.

This seemed to make the Malays more careless, for they came on
excitedly, and, as it was about low water, made no difficulty in that
calm sea of running their vessel's prow right ashore.

Then there was a few minutes' pause, which the defending party did not
understand.

"I see," said Mr Gregory, at last; "they're getting the lelah in a
better place, so as to have another shot at us before the men charge."

The first-mate was right, for all at once there was a loud roar, and a
charge of stones, it seemed, came hurtling over their heads, and flew
up, to break down twigs and huge leaves from the trees, while, as the
smoke rose, the Malays leaped overboard on either side, yelling
excitedly, splashing in the water, and then began to wade ashore.

"Eighty yards is a long shot," said the major just then, "but I may as
well give them a taste of our quality."

"No; wait a few moments," said Gregory, for the men were collecting in a
cluster, and directly after began to rush up the sands toward the
opening, yelling furiously and shaking their spears, ready to hurl.
"Now," said the mate.

By this time the Malays were little over fifty yards away, and taking
careful aim low down the major drew both triggers so quickly, one after
the other, t