u are of that opinion," the captain said. "There
seems to me but one course, and that a difficult one--namely, to carry
a couple of heavy guns through the forest to the edge of the pool. It
would be a serious undertaking, and we should have to send a strong
force to defend them, but if we could succeed in planting them in
position, we should soon drive the Malays out of the pool."

"That would be a capital plan, Captain, if it could be managed. I
suppose before we attempt it, you will take possession of this place,
and capture the rajah?"

"That of course. I don't suppose we shall capture him. I have no doubt
that we are closely watched night and day, and that the instant the
boats are lowered, and the men get on board, the rajah would prepare
for flight, though he might possibly make some resistance. However, that
would be but trifling; our guns would cover the landing, and knock the
place about his ears; but to penetrate the jungle would be vastly more
difficult an affair. If, as is probable, he has succeeded in inducing
some of his neighbors to join him, they may have already sent strong
contingents, and the forest may be full of them. In that case it would
be quite beyond our power to rout them out, and I certainly should
not be justified in attempting it. The destruction of his town and
the burning of his palace would be a serious blow to him, but the
destruction of his piratical fleet would be a very much heavier one. If
we can achieve that, we shall have done good service.

"The first thing to do is to find out whether there is a path either
from this river, or the other branch, to the pool. If so, at dark,
after destroying the town, we will recall all the men on shore, buoy the
anchor and drop it noiselessly, and drift down the river till we are far
enough away to use the engines, then steam down to the junction of the
two streams, and up again to the entrance to the creek on that side.
Then we will at once land a very strong party, land also two twenty-four
pounders, and drag them to the pool. We might hope to do so without any
opposition, for the Malays would no doubt be gathered at the edge of the
forest near the town to repel any attack we might make from there,
and before morning we might have the guns in position. I should take a
hundred empty sacks. These you would fill with earth when you get near
the pool, and form a battery with them behind the screen of bushes;
then, when you are ready, you will cut