le face to catch Little's eye. In the ex-salesman,
so swiftly transferred from an atmosphere of peaceful trade to one of
lurid tragedy, the skipper saw a pale, awed fear of the horrible; but
not one trace of weakness was there: none of the coward. Little
returned his friend's gaze and, bravely trying to conceal the effort it
cost him, he winked slowly, whimsically, then wrinkled his nose in
distaste.

"In case you may not be sufficiently amused, we will make sure of good
quick action," sneered the officer, and a man came forward with a pail
of sticky native sugar. This he smeared over both the bound men, then
laid trails of the mess in radiating lines to the edge of the ant hills
to attract other vermin.

And when all was done, the Dutch party withdrew, and Little's soul
surged with renewed hope. He called softly yet clearly to Barry:

"There's a chance yet! They'll go now. I sent a man to the ship!"

"It is just a chance," returned Barry more hopefully. Then his heart
sank again, and he groaned: "Not a chance, Little, old scout. Look! The
fiends are camping. They mean to watch us out!"

CHAPTER TWELVE

Aboard the _Barang_ Mr. Rolfe and happy Bill Blunt kept a wary watch
upon the vessel moored astern. For an hour after the boat had departed,
an air of stupendous readiness for anything that might turn up pervaded
the old brigantine, and her remaining crew showed in their attitudes
their realization of the necessity for all these impressive measures.

Then, as the evening drew on, something about the schooner astern caused
the mate to secretly regard his newly shipped watch and mate, and in
turn made Bill Blunt make many a trip to the shelter of the galley
whence he inspected his superior quizzically. At length, when the hands
were getting their supper, eating on the forecastle head in order to
maintain their attitude of alertness, the mate joined Bill and remarked
tentatively:

"Seems quiet aboard there, don't it?"

"Werry nice, sir, that it do," rejoined Bill, masticating a colossal
quid with enjoyment.

"Almost think she was--"

"Deserted, sir? Took it right outa my mouth, you did," Bill filled in,
and the two men peered into each other's faces questioningly.

The _Padang_ did look deserted. In fact, ever since the big launch
left, and a few hands had been seen about the wharf busily adjusting the
lines that apparently needed no adjustment, no life had been conspicuous
aboard her. The villagers h