uldn't help thinking of something of the kind."

"You tried it openly, sir; I'm going to try and steal a march upon the
Malays."

"What, are you going over here?" said the ensign.

"Yes, sir, and there's a good opening now," said Gray, after a sharp
look round. "Good-bye, sir; wish me luck."

As he spoke he glided as it were over the edge of the earthwork, and let
himself roll into the ditch, whence he made his way to the edge on the
other side, Ensign Long bidding the two nearest men cover the messenger
with their rifles as long as he was in sight.

That was not for long, Gray crawling rapidly over the ground; and as
those who watched scanned every shrub and tree for an enemy, they saw
him reach the edge of the jungle and disappear.

It was into no haven of safety though that Gray had passed, for he had
not gone twenty yards into the shadowy gloom, which was comparatively
cool after the scorching sunshine in the opening that had been cleared
of trees, before he heard voices on his left, and he had barely time to
crouch down among the long grass before half-a-dozen Malays came along,
one of whom saw the pressed down undergrowth and began to examine it
curiously.

Another moment and he would have seen Gray, whose hand was thrust into
his breast, but a word from one of his companions took off his
attention, and he disappeared with them amongst the trees.

Gray drew a long breath as he once more started off, creeping on all
fours, and at times crawling, so as to make sure of being unseen.

His journey of about half a mile, measured by his twisting and turning,
was one series of hairbreadth escapes. A dozen times over he had to
turn and come back over almost precisely the same ground to avoid a
party of Malays, who seemed ready to spring out of the earth on all
sides of him, but still, thanks to the thick growth, he was unseen.
Such a journey on their first landing would have been impossible, but as
the men were hardly ever allowed to go on the mainland, they had, by way
of compensation, pretty free access to the jungle portion of the little
island, and in consequence they had trampled down the dense vegetation,
and forced paths here and there through the cane brakes when snake
hunting.

At last, dripping with perspiration, Gray reached the head of the
island, and lay half exhausted in a dense clump of canes, listening to
the washing of the river as its waters divided, a dozen or so of paces
from where he lay.