eril-fraught position, help and the companionship of
friends.

"Ay, ay, sir," cried Tom May.

"Shout, lads--shout!" cried Murray excitedly; and as a hearty _Ahoy_!
rang out the lad winced, for he felt that he had given an order which
would show the enemy once more where they were, and he once more
strained his senses in the full expectation of the coming of another
spear.

But he gave vent to his pent-up breath with a feeling of intense relief,
as instead of the _whish_ of a spear came another hearty "ahoy!" from
certainly nearer at hand, followed by the tramp of feet and the
crackling sound of charred wood.

"Where are you?" came directly after, in a well-known voice.

"Here, sir!" cried Murray. "Forward, my lads!" And the men followed
him at the double.

"This way," cried the same voice. "That you, Mr Murray?"

"Yes, sir," replied the midshipman, halting his men in the smoke,
feeling more than seeing that they were close up to their friends.

"All your men there?"

"Yes, sir. None hurt," replied the lad.

"That's good! Spears have begun to fly, for the enemy are creeping up
through the smoke. You started the huts burning, of course?" he
continued, after a pause.

"Yes, sir; burning everywhere."

"Exactly, Mr Murray. I think the work has been thoroughly done, and I
am glad you found us, for I am getting to be at fault as to how to reach
the shore. There, I can hear nothing of our friends, so you had better
lead on. I suppose they have made for the boats."

"Lead on, sir?" faltered Murray.

"Yes, sir," cried the chief officer petulantly; "and don't repeat my
words in that absurd way. Haven't we had enough of this stifling
smoke?"

"But I thought you had come to help us, sir."

"To help you, sir? Why, weren't you firing to let us know the way out
of this horrible furnace?"

"No, sir--at the blacks who were hemming us in and throwing their
spears. Don't you know the way down to the boats?"

"No, my lad," cried the lieutenant angrily. "Tut, tut, tut! What a
mess, to be sure!--Silence there! Listen.--Well," he continued, after
some minutes, during which nothing but an occasional crack from some
half-burned bamboo reached their ears. "There, we must give a shout or
two. I don't know, though, Mr Murray; you said that the blacks had
begun throwing their spears?"

"Yes, sir; so did you."

"Yes, Mr Murray, and if we begin shouting all together we shall be
bringing them again."

"Tha