you say to laying them two bamboo poles right
across the boat for the day, and standing the boxes on them?"

"Good idea, Pete!" And the two lads busied themselves in placing the
boxes so that the moisture would drip away, with the possibility of
their getting dry in the sunshine, which was already beginning to fill
their shelter with semi-horizontal rays.

"Here, I say, sir, if we had known what a ramshackle old wreck this 'ere
sampan is we should have stepped along pretty gingerly while we were
poling--at least I should, for it looks to me as if you could shove your
foot through anywhere. Look at the sides! Why, they are half-rotten!"

"Yes, Pete; it's a wonder that the boat did not go to pieces when we ran
up against that other one in the night."

"That it is, sir. Why, if I'd known I believe I should have liked to
travel outside, hanging on, with my legs in the water."

"As a bait to tempt crocodiles, Pete?"

"Oh, I say, don't, sir! You give one the shivers."

As the lad spoke he peered over the side of the boat and half drew his
bayonet from his belt.

"Might be one of those beauties under the bottom now, sir," he said
half-apologetically. "Nice morning, though, ain't it? Talking about
hanging one's legs over the side, we might lay them up a bit to dry;"
and he set the example of stretching his own out on the seat-like
thwart, and sitting silently for a while gazing through one of the
openings across the river.

Then, as if being silent wearied him, his tongue began to go again.

"Suppose you can't make out exactly where we are, sir, can you?"

"No, Pete; the river winds about so."

"Of course, sir. Well, no wonder--it ain't got anything else to do.
Got your watch, sir?"

"Yes;" and Archie drew it out from his pocket.

"What time is it, sir?"

"One," said Archie dryly.

"Can't be, sir. Why, that means afternoon, and the sun's only just up."

"It means that it was one o'clock when we waded into the river, and the
water got in, Pete."

"Stopped! I'm blest! If you had thought of it, sir, you'd better have
left it at home. `Home, home, sweet home!'" hummed the lad. "But this
ain't home, and I'm precious hungry; but I'd a deal rather be here,
after all, than in the old whitewashed barracks where we were stationed
last, with nothing but drill, drill, drill, till one felt as if they had
drilled a hole right through you. Feel anything of your head now, sir?"

"Yes, Pete; but not much."