for their curiosity had been excited by what had been
said. The captain took the wheel; and Louis went to the engine, though
he could hear what was said while near enough to the levers to act in
case of need. Scott had brought from his berth in the after cabin a
blue-colored roll, which all understood was a chart, though of what sea
they did not know.

"Now, fellows, I have come to the conclusion that we are all tired of
paddling about the muddy rivers of Borneo," the captain began, after he
had scrutinized the compass in the binnacle. "I have said so before;
though I have not enlarged on the subject, or spoken half as strongly as
I might. The rest of you may not take my view of the situation; but I do
not ask you to do so, and I hope you will all speak out just what you
think, as I have done, and shall do stronger than before. We want
something that is not quite so tame as shooting pigs and crocodiles at
thirty-six cents a foot."

"I am quite of your opinion, Captain," added Morris. "I don't think
there is any more fun in shooting orangs, for we are not naturalists nor
scientists of any sort. If we had brought a naturalist with us, we
should have done better."

"I have had enough of it for the present; but we have two weeks yet
before the ship will come to Kuching for us, and what are we to do
during that time?" said Louis, walking a little nearer to the wheel.

"That is precisely the conundrum I intend to guess on the present
occasion, and for which I have called this meeting without consulting
Mr. Belgrave," replied Captain Scott, giving the wheel to Morris, with
the course, and unfolding the blue roll. "The Guardian-Mother will go to
Saigon before she comes back to Sarawak. That is about a two days' run
for her. From Sarawak, or the mouth of the river, the distance is five
hundred sea miles. Now, to flash it on you all at once, I propose to
sail in the Blanchita to Point Cambodia, where the ship will pick us up
as she comes down the Gulf of Siam. Now I am ready to hear you all
groan."

"It looks like a risky voyage in such a craft as this steam-launch,"
said Louis, when there was a prolonged silence.

"I wish you all to look over the chart of the China Sea; this meeting is
adjourned to the after cabin at four o'clock, and you may do your
groaning there."

The men soon came out of the after cabin, and Pitts was busy removing
the dishes and putting everything in order. At the time stated, the
party were seat