mt
that one of those craft could have passed through."

"I doubt whether they did pass through. They hardly could have done so
without breaking down a good many of these branches, and we must have
seen signs of that. I think they must have got into that pool by some
creek coming in on the opposite side. You see four out of the six boats
were anchored in line so as to bring their broadsides to bear on some
point opposite to them, while the other two guarded them against any
attack from this side. Naturally, they thought it unlikely that any boat
would come up here, and so directed their main attention to the other
opening. The next thing to find out will be where the other stream
joins the river, otherwise, as soon as we make our appearance, they will
escape that way, and there is not the least doubt that they could row
away from our fastest boats. However, it is a great thing that we have
discovered their whereabouts without their having the least notion that
we have done so, and I am sure the captain will be very pleased when he
hears that we have found them. It will give him the whip hand over that
lying rascal Sehi."

Captain Forest smiled grimly when the lieutenant made his report of the
discovery that he had made.

"Thank you, Mr. Hopkins; that is a very valuable discovery. Just at
present matters have not come to a point when we can turn it to account.
The next thing will be to find out where the other passage comes out.
It will be a serious business to attack them in the boats alone;
these prahus carry a tremendous lot of men, and the Malays will fight
desperately. I do not say that we might not succeed, but we should lose
a lot of men in the attempt; it would be hot work even with the ship,
attacked by six of these fellows at once. If it was in the night, we
might fail to see any of them before they were upon us, and we should
have hard work to beat back four or five hundred of them if they all
came swarming on deck together. However, we can wait, and the first time
the rajah shows any signs of treachery we can pounce upon his fleet.
He will not dream that we have discovered their hiding place, and will
therefore let them hide there without movement. However, we must try to
find the ether end of the entrance to the creek.

"Please impress upon Mr. Morrison and young Parkhurst that it is of the
highest importance no words shall be spoken about it; and it might be
advisable, also, to give notice to the men who