shots rang out like one, and directly after they were replied
to, the reports sounding faintly enough but perfectly distinguishable
through the distance.

The lieutenant waited while twenty could be counted, and then ordered
the men to fire again. This drew forth a reply, and so evidently from
the same direction that the order was given for the party to march; but
directly after the lieutenant called _Halt_, for from behind them and
quite plainly from the direction they were leaving, came the deep-toned
_thud_ of a heavy gun.

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

"THE SMOKE'S LIFTING."

"Well done, _Seafowl_!" said the lieutenant, and the men gave a cheer
which drew forth a "Silence!" from the officer.

"You're holloaing before you're out of the wood, my lads," he said.
"Ah, there they go again--nearer too. Those must be Mr Munday's or Mr
Dempsey's men. Halt, and stand fast, my lads. Let's give them a chance
to join, and then we can retire together. No doubt, Mr Murray, about
the direction we ought to take."

"No, sir," replied the midshipman, "and we are going to be quite out of
our misery soon."

"What do you mean, my lad?"

"The smoke's lifting, sir."

"To be sure, my lad, it is. A cool breeze too--no--yes, that's from the
same direction as the _Seafowl's_ recall shot. If it had been from the
forest we might have been stifled, after all."

The signals given from time to time resulted in those who had fired
coming before long within hail, and the men who now joined proved to be
a conjunction of the second lieutenant's and boatswain's, who had met
after a long estrangement in the smoke, and without the loss of a man.
Then, as the smoke was borne back by the now increasing sea breeze, the
general retreat became less painful. They could breathe more freely,
and see their way through the burned forest in the direction of the
anchored sloop.

It was a terribly blackened and parched-up party, though, that struggled
on over the still smoking and painfully heated earth. For they had no
option, no choice of path. The forest that lay to left and right was
too dense to be attempted. There were doubtless paths known to the
natives, but they were invisible to the retreating force, which had to
keep on its weary way over the widely stretching fire-devastated tract
that but a few hours before had been for the most part mangrove thicket
interspersed with palms. But the men trudged on with all the steady,
stubborn determin