s boat, declared that the boat must have
gone down, as not a sign of her appeared.

"Perhaps I mistook her position," suggested Owen.

"Well, we will push on further," said Mynheer Van Wijk. "Let us give
one more hearty shout together."

All three, joined by the natives, raised their voices.

Just then a faint sound came from the southward.

"There they are! there they are!" cried Owen. "They heard us, and are
holloaing in return."

The natives were ordered to give way, and in a few minutes more a louder
"holloa" was heard.

They were evidently nearing the boat.

Owen, eager to know how they had fared, stood up and hailed them as he
approached.

"Are all safe?"

"Ay, ay," was the answer.

In a short time Mynheer Van Wijk's boat was alongside the pinnace. One
by one the people were taken off her, Captain Stanhope remaining until
the last. Several of them were greatly exhausted, especially Ashurst,
who could scarcely speak. Captain Stanhope grasped Owen by the hand.
His first question was for Langton. He felt satisfied when Owen told
him that, after landing safely, he had gone in the direction of the ship
along the shore.

As the captain was unwilling to lose the boat, he accepted Jacob
Leefken's offer to right her, and to tow her back to the frigate. He
was specially anxious that this should be done, as they would probably
fall in with Langton on the way, and save him from a vain search.

Captain Stanhope was also very glad to accept Mynheer Van Wijk's
invitation to his house, as it was a long pull back to the frigate.

"Hartley," said the captain, "you have acted nobly in risking your life
for the sake of saving those of your shipmates. I shall never forget
it, and I will not fail to make known your conduct to those in
authority, who will still better than I am be able to promote your
interests. I before told you that I should be ready to rate you as a
midshipman, and immediately on our return to the frigate I will do so.
You may depend upon rising in the service while I live and possess any
influence."

On hearing Mynheer Van Wijk's report of the natives the captain became
very anxious about Langton. Owen at once volunteered, if Mynheer Van
Wijk would provide a boat, to pull along the shore, and ascertain
whether he had succeeded or not in getting off to the frigate. Several
of the boat's crew offered to accompany him.

The rest, including the captain, were too much exhausted to make the