dge
for being chucked overboard as I was. It makes me feel wet now to think
of it."

"Yes, that 'ere war a rum 'un, Master Roberts, sir," said Dick,
solemnly. "Now, look here, sir, you being a boy like, and not wanted,
if I was you, I'd just go down below, get on my perch, and tuck myself
up and go to roost where I should be quite safe."

"Thank you, Dick," said Bob, quietly; "I'm going to stop on deck, and
then go with the party ashore. We'll leave the old men and old women on
board to take charge of the ship till we come back."

"That's as good as saying I'm a reg'lar old woman, Master Roberts, sir,"
said Dick, grinning.

Bob did not condescend to reply, but walked aft a little way, to where
he could see a dark figure half-leaning, half-sitting in the darkness
upon a gun, and looking over the bulwarks.

"Here, you sir," he said sharply, "come away from that gun. Why are you
not with the detachment forward there?"

"Oh, you be hanged!" said a familiar voice.

"What? Tom Long?"

"That's my name, Mr Roberts," said the dark figure.

"Why, I thought you were in hospital yet."

"I'm on hospital service," replied Tom. "I got the doctor to bring me."

"I say--I am glad," said Bob. "Eh?"

He stopped short, for Tom Long had pinched his arm.

"Isn't that a long low vessel moored there under the bank?" said Tom.

Bob looked long and attentively.

"I think so--two of them," he said. "I'll tell the officer of the
watch."

He turned aft and pointed out the dimly seen objects.

"Yes, I think they are prahus moored to the trees," he said, examining
them through the glass.

The officer reported what he had seen to the captain, who also inspected
them through a night-glass.

"Yes, coasting boats, I think. We'll overhaul them as we come back, we
must not stop now."

The vessel was now steaming steadily down stream, not quickly, for there
were too many turns, but sufficiently fast to bring them rapidly near
their goal.

"Let's see; I want to have a talk to you, Tom Long, about a trip
ashore--shooting," said Bob.

"Silence there, young gentleman," said the officer of the watch sternly,
and then Bob was called suddenly away, so that he had no opportunity for
a quiet chat with the young ensign.

Meanwhile the heavy throb throb of the steamer was the only noise heard
save some weird cry of animal or bird in the dense jungle on either
side. But every now and then as the waves and wash of the steamer
ro