k that you
have run in bearing me his message."

The Malay looked longingly at the pistols, and then said, "I came by
order of my chief, and not for reward."

"Quite so. I understand that, and am not offering you a reward for that
service, but for the information that you have given me, which may be of
value if I have trouble with the rajah here."

The man bowed and took the pistols offered. "I will use them against
your enemies," he said warmly; "but all of us know the creek, for it is
that which renders it so difficult for us to fight against Sehi. He is
master of the water, and we cannot attack him without first crossing
that creek. We should have to carry canoes with us, to do it, for the
creek is too full of alligators for anyone to swim across, and our small
canoes would have no chance of passing the creek when his war boats were
there."

The captain nodded when this was translated to him.

"Sehi's place, in fact, stands upon an island formed by the two branches
of the river and this creek. As soon as he became master of the river,
he could hardly be assailed, while at any time he could sally out and
fall upon his enemies. Ask the man if he will take any refreshment
before he goes."

The man declined. He had, he said, sufficient fruit and dried fish for
his journey back. A few minutes later he took his place in the little
canoe and drifted away into the darkness, and was soon lost to sight.

CHAPTER VI.

"Things are coming to a crisis, Harry," Dick Balderson said, in a tone
of delight, as they left the captain's cabin. "We now know what we all
along suspected--the rajah is a rascal, and we have not only found out
where his prahus are hidden, but have them corked up in a bottle."

"Nothing could be better, Dick, and I expect we shall have some pretty
hot work. Of course the Serpent cannot get up that creek, though she can
place herself at the entrance and prevent their getting away; but there
still remains the work of capturing or driving them down the creek, and
that is likely to be a very tough job."

The next morning the second lieutenant, the mate, and Harry Parkhurst
were sent for to the captain's cabin. The first lieutenant was there.
They were each asked their opinion as to whether the prahus could force
their way through the creek by which they had ascended.

"It is a most important point," the captain said: "and indeed,
everything might depend upon it."

"I am sure, sir," Mr. Hopkins s