d effect a junction."

But if that was his object, it was not so easy to accomplish, for the
enemy were in full force on the far side of the narrow clearing, and had
he and his party but known it, the path taken by the British troops led
rather far to the left of the river, while so deceptive was the forest
that the glare and the smoke were actually much more distant than they
appeared. Sir Garnet had with him a few bluejackets, with a
seven-pounder gun and a rocket trough, twenty Royal Marine Artillery,
129 Royal Marines, 205 of the West India Regiment, 126 Houssas, a force
enlisted in Central Africa, a few natives and many bearers enlisted on
the coast. It was this force which Dick and his comrades heard. They
had come upon the village of Essaman, and finding it vacant had set it
on fire, exploding some kegs of powder which the enemy had left, and
finding a number of muskets and war-drums, all evidence of the truth of
the report which had been brought by our hero to headquarters. Indeed,
there was little doubt that the enemy were in force in the
neighbourhood, though so far none on our side had seen a single man.
All that Dick could perceive was the flash of guns, and the falling of
numerous leaves and twigs cut down by the slugs which hailed overhead.
Suddenly another sound attracted his attention, and his expression
changed to one of concern.

"Our fellows are going still farther away, and the enemy are closing in
on us," he said hastily. "There is a man, and, look, others are
appearing. They are going to try a rush. We will warn the men.
Listen, my lads," he shouted, "the Ashantis look as if they would try a
charge, and we must stop it. If they reach this side of the clearing
they will creep into the jungle and shoot us down easily. Keep on
firing till I shout, then charge them as they come."

Kneeling behind a tree he kept a keen watch upon the opposite side, and
now that the enemy were exposing themselves, his bullets seldom failed
to tell. As for the Jack Tars, they seemed to enjoy the work, for they
lay on their faces, calmly ignoring the hail of slugs overhead, and
returned the fire of the enemy with wonderful steadiness. At Dick's
words, too, each eased his cutlass in its sheath, and just glanced ahead
to make sure that there was nothing to keep him from reaching the open.
Nor was it long before the necessity for action on their part was called
for. The firing from the opposite side became even