asked what it was, and wrung it
unwillingly from the lad.

"That's bad," she said quietly. "What do you propose doing?"

Mark stared at her in surprise to see how calmly she took the
announcement of what might mean destruction, certainly a temporary
separation from their friends.

"One of us must go back," said Mark, "and try to meet them that way. I
will go."

"No," said Mrs O'Halloran; "the force is so small it cannot be divided.
They may not be coming back that way; and if they do, we must hope and
pray that they will be keeping a sharp look-out."

"But they may come right back to the camp and find the Malays in
possession."

"If they are in possession," said Mrs O'Halloran, "it would be
impossible for you to get along by them to give our party warning."

"Do you think I could get round at the back through the jungle?" said
Mark, addressing Jimpny.

"No," said the latter. "I've tried it lots of times. You couldn't get
a quarter of a mile through the woods in a day. There's no getting in
till you come to the little river."

"And that is past the camp," said Mark sadly. "Ah!"

The ladies clung together, for at that moment they realised a sensation
as if some monstrous roller were running slowly along beneath the sands
and the roots of the trees. The ground heaved like a wave of the sea,
the cocoa-nut trees rocked and bent their heads together just as the
ears of corn do when a breeze sweeps over a field, and then all was
still once more, save that a low muttering sound as of thunder ran along
over their heads, leaving them all giddy, and feeling as if the qualms
of sea-sickness were coming on.

They were to a certain extent familiar with such phenomena, and the
minute it was over the dread it caused was swallowed up by that which
was pursuing them, for a glance through the tree-trunks showed that the
Malays were still coming on.

Mark hesitated for a moment or two, and then feeling that Mrs
O'Halloran's prompt soldierly advice was for the best, he accepted it,
and led the way.

Their march grew more toilsome as they kept on, the sand appearing to
become looser and drifted up in waves among the cocoa-nut palms, while
the presence of these was alone sufficient to keep them at work
threading their way in and out till the peculiar growth came to an end;
and they were stayed by the thick jungle.

Their only way of progression now was by the sands, where the walking
would be easy in the extreme by c