n of
some sort, like--well, like the mouth of a river choked with islands,
away ahead of us. And, if so, we are saved, for it will be strange
indeed if we cannot dodge the galley among those islands--even if she
can get in among them," he added. "For unless I am very greatly
mistaken the water shoals close inshore of us. Do you notice how smooth
it is?"

"I do," said Stukely. "I humbly hope it may not be too shoal for us as
well as for the galley. All right, fire away," he continued,
apostrophising the galley; "fire away and waste your powder! You will
have to shoot a good deal better than that to hit us." For the people
in the galley were loading and firing in feverish haste, evidently
anxious to hit the boat before she should reach the shelter of the
islands, now less than a quarter of a mile ahead.

Presently the boat shot into the belt of smooth water that Dick's keen
eye had detected, and Phil seized a paddle and plunged it over the side,
to withdraw it a moment later and inspect it by the light of the moon.

"Four foot of water, with any quantity of soft black mud under it," he
announced. "If thicky galley keeps as she is going for another five
minutes, Dick, she'll be stuck so hard and fast in that same mud that
she'll have something else to think about than chasing us. Ah!" as the
boat luffed round a small mangrove-covered island, and the galley was
shut out from view, "there goes their last chance of hitting us with
their footy ordnance--with a murrain on them!"

The fugitives now suddenly found themselves sailing through a labyrinth
of small, mangrove-covered islets intersected by water lanes so narrow
and winding that they were only able to sail the boat along them by
exercising the utmost care and vigilance. This intricate and difficult
navigation continued for nearly three hours, at the end of which time
they suddenly emerged from the maze of islets and found themselves in a
stream of thick, muddy water, averaging about a quarter of a mile in
width, with low banks fringed by mangrove trees, beyond which it was
occasionally possible to catch glimpses of more lofty vegetation. The
water here was so deep that, except when close to the bank on either
side, it was impossible to reach bottom with a six-foot paddle; but when
they had traversed the river far enough to enable them to get a vista of
a clear mile astern of them there was still no sign of the galley, which
they therefore concluded had be