apparently overcome by the heat, sitting in a heap,
with his chin down upon his chest, regardless of the fact that a little
fish was upon its hook, tugging away to get free.

Dullah seemed about to speak to the intruder; but seeing this, he
refrained, contenting himself with examining Gray closely, and then
going slowly back.

"That will not do to report," thought Gray. "He saw me fishing, and he
came to see what I had caught, and then went away. I must have
something better than that."

However he had obtained a position whence, unsuspected, he could sit and
watch what went on at the hut; for after satisfying himself as he had,
it was not likely that the Malay would trouble himself any more about
the presence of the private so near his place.

So Gray sat there, apparently fast asleep, all through the afternoon.

The night closed in as the sun went down rapidly, as is the case near
the equator, and still Gray felt that he had nothing to report. Two men
rose up once in the sampan nearest to Dullah's hut, but they appeared to
lie down again amongst their fruit baskets; and Dullah himself, the last
time Gray saw him, was seated, peacefully smoking, by his verandah.

As it became dark, Gray ran over in his mind the positions of the
various sentries, and thought of how soon he could get help, should he
need it; and then, after a little thought, he came to the conclusion
that he ought to make his way to the fort, and tell Captain Smithers of
his want of success.

Just then the glimmering of the stars in the water put an idea in his
head. He paused for a moment, as the proceeding was so risky; but on
consideration he felt that, if he carried out his plan, he would know
for certain whether mischief was brewing. So, giving up his intention
of going back to the fort at present, he proceeded to put his plan into
execution.

CHAPTER FORTY ONE.

THE VALUE OF PRIVATE SIM.

Where Adam Gray had been seated fishing, the bank was about three feet
above the surface of the water, and this clayey bank was either
perpendicular, or so hollowed out beneath by the action of the river,
that if any one had the courage to lower himself into the water, here
about four feet deep, and to cling to the tangled vegetation, and wade
along close to the overhanging bank, he could pass right up to Dullah's
hut unperceived.

There was danger, of course; for the stream ran swiftly, and the
venturesome wader might be swept away. A cro