y, as Ned sprang up; and the
Malays now gathered together, and after a few moments pause: "Look out!"
cried Murray, "spears!" for the enemy were coming on again. But at that
moment the doctor and Mr Braine pressed to the front, and four flashes,
followed by the sharp reports of their revolvers, checked the assailants
for the moment, and the party began to retreat rapidly.

But shouting excitedly now, the Malays pressed on, and two spears
whistled by the ears of the retreating party.

"Ah, ye cowards!" cried a familiar voice; "tak that then," and shot
after shot was rapidly fired, one of which was followed by a hoarse cry,
and a man went down.

"Sure, I forgot all about it before," said Tim; "and I hadn't so much as
a shtick."

"Silence!" said Mr Braine, sternly. "Don't fire again without orders.
Forward, quick!"

It was quite time, for there was a loud confused noise of voices from
all sides now, and, greatest danger of all, from the river to which they
were hastening fast. Lights were gleaming amongst the trees, some of
which Mr Braine saw were from the prahus, and it was evident that they
would soon have an attack to repel from that side.

"No, no," whispered Hamet, just then. "This way."

For in his excitement Mr Braine was leading the party wide of the boat,
which was reached at last, just as lanterns were moving on the river,
and voices were shouting from different directions.

"Now for it!" whispered Mr Braine. "Quick! All in! Every man take an
oar. We must make a dash for it. The stream will help us. Don't
attempt to fire unless they board."

"No, no," cried Hamet again, as they struggled into their places; and
there was so much authority in his tones, that for a while all paused,
and the Malay silently took one of the poles from the side, and keeping
the boat well under the shelter of the bank, forced her up stream
instead of down, always keeping close to the shore.

Mr Braine saw the wisdom of the act directly, for the boat progressed
slowly and without a splash, being a good thirty yards away as Murray's
guards reached the bank just below where they had embarked.

An eager shouting and interchange of questions followed; two lights were
seen moving down stream in a zigzag way, and all at once a dazzling blue
light began to burn a couple of hundred yards from them, lighting up one
of the prahus moored in mid-stream; but though every figure on the large
vessel, and the shape of another near