re killed.
If we sail on at the rate we are now going, we shall reach it before
noon to-morrow, always provided the wind don't head us."

This information was, at all events, satisfactory, and Ben was so
positive that Roger could not but believe him. Ben added, that, to his
belief, a short distance farther on there was a river, up which the
long-boat might pull for many a league, and that he calculated it would
take them into the very heart of the country where Batten, according to
his account, had been. As they sailed on, Ben, every now and then,
exclaimed--"I mind that point, for we were becalmed off it for the best
part of a day."--"Yes, that hill is just where I thought to find
one."--"We pulled up yonder stream to get a fresh store of water, and
had to pull down it again pretty quickly, with only half our casks full,
by reason of a party of Indians."

Thus he ran on, recognising all the main features of the shore. The
ship, however, did not reach the bay he had expected, and, accordingly,
had to stand off the shore and bring up at night in a more open position
than would have been chosen; but, as the weather was calm, that mattered
not. Early the next morning, however, the bay he had indicated was
reached, and some time before dark the ship came off the very spot where
Batten had been taken on board. He knew it by the easy landing the
shore afforded, and by two tall trees which leant over one towards the
other as if affording mutual support. The spot for which Audley and
Captain Layton and his son had been so eagerly looking was at length
reached; as, however, it did not afford a secure anchorage, they
determined to stand on in hopes of finding the mouth of the river into
which they intended to run and bring up. It proved to be not more than
a couple of leagues to the northward. Roger having gone ahead in the
skiff to sound, piloted the ship to an anchorage just inside the mouth,
where she could lie secure from any storms which might blow without, and
at the same time too far from the shore to be assailed from thence by
any hostile Indians; while her guns would enable her to defend herself
against any attack which might be made in canoes, should the natives
prove hostile. It being now nearly dark, nothing could be done on shore
till the next morning. The night was perfectly calm; the stars
glittering overhead were reflected on the mirrorlike surface of the
water. The forest extending down to the shores