came down the river instead of going up, of course it
is not that."

"No; we are going to explore the creek, but from the other end."

"That will be first rate, sir, but I am afraid that we shan't find water
enough for the Serpent."

"No, I fear that there is little chance of that; still we may obtain
information that will be valuable."

The night was a dark one, and an hour after sunset the grapnel was got
up, and the boat continued its way down the river, the oars being now
muffled, and the strictest silence ordered.

"Keep your eyes open, Mr. Balderson," the lieutenant said. "I think that
it must be another three miles to the point where the river forks. The
other branch comes in on the right, so we will keep on the left bank.
I don't think there is much fear of our missing the junction of the
stream, but if we do, we will row on to a mile below the point where we
think it is, then cross and keep up on the other side. In that way we
cannot miss it."

For the next half hour no word was spoken in the boat. Dick kept his
eyes fixed on the opposite bank. Suddenly he touched the lieutenant.

"There, sir, that must be it. The line of the trees has suddenly
stopped, and I think I can make out a lower line behind it."

"Yes, no doubt that is the junction. We will go two hundred yards
farther down before we cross; it is unlikely in the extreme that anyone
is watching us, still I don't want to run the slightest risk."

In another five minutes they crossed the river, whose increased width
showed them that they had assuredly passed the junction of the stream.
Then they turned and followed the right hand bank.

"Stretch out a bit now, lads; you have fifteen miles' straight rowing
before you, and the sooner you get to the other end, the better. We may
have a long night's work before us, and I want to be able to get to the
place where we fished before morning."

The men bent to their oars, and the boat sped swiftly along. The current
was very slight, and after two hours' rowing, the lieutenant judged that
they must be but a short distance from the village Hassan's messenger
spoke of. Accordingly, he told the coxswain to steer across to the other
bank, and warned the men that the slightest splash of their oars might
attract attention, and that they were to row easier for the present.
In a quarter of an hour the wall of forest ceased, and a hundred yards
farther they saw houses. Two or three dim lights were visible, and