we might rub the specks of rust off with leaves.
Would you like to have first turn?"

"No, Pete. I feel as if I could do nothing but sit still and rest and
think."

"What about, sir?"

"What they are saying about us at the Residency. I suppose they will
give us the credit of not deserting."

"Course they will, sir. They will be saying that we are lying speared
somewhere not far from headquarters. My word, sir, won't Mrs Morley
take on about losing you, sir! And, oh dear! nobody won't miss me--
except old Tipsy. Haw, haw, haw! He'd like to have me to bully-rag
when he gets back to headquarters again."

"Will nobody else miss you, Pete?"

"No, sir--I d'know, though. Yes--old Mother Smithers, next time she has
a chance to have a turn at the wash-tub. It will be, `Now, Pete, fresh
water, please.' Wish she'd got some of what's in this precious boat!
Talk about a leaky sieve! Why, it's coming in everywhere. We shall
have to begin baling soon, Mister Archie. To be sure; that will be next
job after I've rubbed up the gun, and--This 'ere ain't a fruit-tree, is
it, sir?"

"Absurd!"

"Suppose it is, sir. I was thinking of cocoa-nuts and getting one down
to bale with. I shall have to use my cap. It's wonderful how it's
stuck on. I ketched it slipping off twice, though, when we were
creeping through the wood."

Peter reached for the gun, and began to rub the barrels with such leaves
as he could pick; but after trying to polish for some time, he shook his
head in despair.

"Only making it worse, sir.--I say, Mister Archie, you are not going to
sleep, are you?"

Archie, who was resting one hand on the side of the boat and bending
down sideways, rose quickly.

"Hist!" he whispered. "Listen."

Peter sat motionless for some little time, and then, looking full in his
companion's eyes, shook his head slowly. Then a look of intelligence
came into his face, and he nodded two or three times quickly, leaned
forward, and placing his lips close to his companion's ear, he
whispered:

"Poles! Boat coming up-stream."

The two lads sat thinking of their own slow advance as they had punted
upwards in the darkness, and fully understood the effort that was being
made to force the advancing boat against the running water.

Then the same thought must have animated both, for after peering through
the leaves by which they were surrounded, each lay back upon the thwart
he occupied and cautiously began drawing one o