and where the rocks ran up, jungle-covered,
forming the sides of a lovely valley whose limits were hidden from the
deck.

At that moment the middy became aware of the fact that one of the men
was busy with the skipper heaving the lead and shouting the soundings
loud enough for the mate to hear, while with educated ear Fitz listened
and grasped the fact how dangerously the water shoaled, till it seemed
at last that the next minute they must run aground.

For a few minutes it was as though something was clutching at the boy's
throat, making his breath come hot and fast; and he glanced back to see
where the gunboat was, but looked in vain, for a side of the valley rose
like a towering wall between, and on glancing in the other direction
there was another stupendous wall running up to mountain height, and all
of gorgeous greens.

The next minute, when he looked forward, feeling that at any moment he
might have to swim, the voice of the man with the lead-line seemed to
ring out louder and more clear, announcing fathoms, as a short time
before he had shouted feet.

There was a curious stillness too reigning around. The roar of surf
upon the rocky shore was gone; the wind had dropped; and the _Teal_ was
gliding slowly up the grand natural sanctuary into which she had been
steered, while the lad awakened to the fact that they had entered a
rushing stream, and as the feeling gained ground of all this being
unreal, their safety being, as it were, a dream, he was brought back to
the bare matter-of-fact by hearing an order given, the anchor descending
with a splash, and Poole bringing his hand down sharply upon his
shoulder, to cry exultantly--

"There, old chap; what did I say!"

CHAPTER FORTY.

"DEFENCE, NOT DEFIANCE."

"What did you say? Oh yes, I remember. It has come out all right; but
we shall have them in here directly, after us."

"What's that?" said the skipper, who overheard his words. "I hope not,
and I doubt of their getting within shot. Here, Burgess."

"Hallo!" growled the mate, and he came slowly up, looking, as Poole
afterwards said, like the proverbial bear with a sore head.

"Here's Mr Burnett prophesying all kinds of evil things about us."

"Ah!" growled the mate. "He didn't know any better. I never prophesy
till after the thing has taken place. What did he say?"

"That we shall have the gunboat in here after us directly. What do you
say to that?"

The mate's sour countenance expand