good deal of apprehension. They might themselves
have easily found concealment among the trees that stood thickly on the
land-side; but the large pinnace lying upon the open beach was a
conspicuous object, and could be seen miles off by any one straying
along the shore, or coming abruptly out of the forest. If there were
any pirates' nest near, the boat would surely betray them, and the
question arose as to what should be done with it.

To have dragged it up the sand, and hidden it among the underwood, is
probably what they would have done had they been possessed of sufficient
strength. But they knew that they were not, and therefore the thing was
not thought of. It was as much as they could yet do to drag their own
bodies about, much less a heavy ship's boat.

Murtagh suggested breaking it up, and letting the fragments float off
upon the waves. But Captain Redwood did not approve of this mode. The
craft that had so long carried them through an unknown sea, and at
length set them safely ashore, deserved different treatment. Besides,
they might again stand in need of it; for it was not yet certain whether
they were on the coast of the Bornean mainland, or one of the numerous
outlying islets to be found along its eastern side. If an island, the
boat would still be required to carry them across to the main.

While they were engaged in discussing this subject on the day they had
made discovery of the maleos' eggs, Saloo's sharp eye, wandering about,
caught sight of something that promised a solution of the difficulty.
It was the little stream not far off, or rather, the estuary formed by
its current, which, flowing out through the sands, had cut a channel
deep enough for the keel of a much larger craft than a ship's pinnace.

"Why we no blingee boat up libba?" he asked.

"Saloo is right; it may be done," assented the captain.

"Troth an' that may it. It's clivver of the nigger to be the first of
us to think of that same. Then we'd betther set about it at once--
hadn't we, captin?"

"By all means," was the reply; and the three men, rising to their feet,
walked off toward the boat, leaving the young people under the tree.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

KRISSING A CONSTRICTOR.

It took them nearly an hour to get the pinnace round into the stream,
and opposite the place they had fixed upon for their temporary
encampment. The current acting against their feeble efforts at rowing,
was the cause of delay. They succe