ound as
far as I can make out, sir."

"Exactly. Well, somewhere over yonder the lugger suddenly sailed out,
and of course we were astonished, for no glass that we have on board
shows the slightest sign of an opening, while before we had got over our
surprise, all of a sudden the second cutter, which went up the river to
follow you, popped out of the same place as the lugger. Now, sir, how
do you explain? Could you come out of the mouth of the river where you
went in, while the second cutter, which I sent up the river after you,
came out at the same spot as the lugger? Explain that, if you please."

"It is simple enough, sir; the little river forks and forms two mouths.
I sailed down one, and Mr Munday after we had met sailed down the other
in pursuit of the enemy, and came out as you saw. It is quite simple,
sir."

"Then I must be too dense to understand it, Mr Anderson," said the
captain angrily; "and now look here, sir," he continued, "you tell me
that the river has two mouths?"

"Yes, sir."

"There's one, then," said the captain, pointing to where it could be
plainly seen.

"Yes, sir."

"Then where's the other, sir?"

"Really, sir," replied the first lieutenant, glancing round and seeing
that the two middies were hearing every word and striving hard to keep
their faces straight in spite of an intense desire to laugh--"Really,
sir, I cannot point out the exact spot, but I suppose that it is where
the lugger and the second cutter came out."

"You suppose that, sir, do you--suppose it!" roared the captain,
thumping the rail with his open hand. "Well, that's what Mr Munday
supposes; but where is it, sir--where is it?"

"I must ask Mr Munday, sir, for I suppose he examined that part of the
coast when he came out himself."

"Suppose--suppose--suppose!" cried the captain. "I'm sick of all this
supposition. Mr Munday knows nothing whatever about it. The lugger
sailed out, and after a bit the second cutter sailed out and continued
the pursuit--for I suppose it was a pursuit?"

"Yes, sir, of course."

"Don't say of course, Mr Anderson. I tell you it was all like a
pantomime trick. He has thoroughly examined the coast there, and he can
find no second mouth."

"River's shut it up again, Dick," whispered Murray.

"He has regularly muddled it, Mr Anderson," continued the
captain--"just as you muddled your part of the expedition; and the
fact is that these slaver people have here an intricate
what-d