we might as well ask a
mosquito to help us."

"I say, lads, isn't one of the crew of that canoe a woman?" said Jack,
looking over his shoulder, but not ceasing for an instant to ply his
paddle.

"Can't tell," answered Peterkin.--"What say you, Mak?"

"Ye-is, massa," replied the guide, with some hesitation. "Me tink dat
am be one ooman's arm what wag de paddil. Oh! yis, me sartin sure now,
dat am a ooman."

"That being the case," observed Jack, in a tone of satisfaction, "the
chase won't last much longer, for a woman's muscles can't hold out long
at such a pace. Ho! give way once more."

In less than five minutes the truth of Jack's remark became apparent,
for we began rapidly to overhaul the fugitives. This result acted with
a double effect: while it inspirited us to additional exertion, it
depressed those whom we were pursuing, and so rendered them less capable
than before of contending with us. There was evidently a good deal of
excitement and gesticulation among them. Suddenly the man in the stern
laid down his paddle, and stooping down seized a gun, with which,
turning round, he took deliberate aim at us.

"That's rather awkward," observed Jack, in a cool, quiet way, as if the
awkwardness of the case had no reference whatever to him personally.

We did not, however, check our advance. The man fired, and the ball
came skipping over the water and passed us at a distance of about two
yards.

"Hum! I expected as much," observed Jack. "When a bad shot points a
bad gun at you, your best plan is to stand still and take your chance.
In such a case the chance is not a bad one. Hollo! the rascal seems
about to try it again. I say, boys, we must stop this."

We had now gained so much on the fugitives that we had reason to hope
that we might by signs enable them to understand that we were not
enemies. We had to make the attempt rather abruptly, for as Jack
uttered his last remark, the man in the stern of the canoe we were
chasing, having reloaded his gun, turned round to aim at us again. At
the same time the rest of the crew suddenly ceased to paddle, in order
to enable their comrade to take a steady aim. It was evident that they
rested all their hopes upon that shot disabling one of our number, and
so enabling them to escape. Seeing this, Makarooroo in desperation
seized his rifle and levelled it.

"No, no," said Peterkin, hastily holding up his hand. "Give me your
rifle, Mak; and yours, Ralph. N