m grasp.

And Archie's hand was just as grubby.

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE.

A DARK EXPLOIT.

"It seems so stupid, Pete, going all this way round in the black
darkness to get at the bungalow, when ten minutes at the outside would
have taken us there."

"That's right, Mister Archie. What was it--five hundred yards?"

"Somewhere about; but if we had tried to walk there, how far should we
have got before we had spears through us?"

"About five-and-twenty, sir, or thirty; and then we shouldn't have got
the cartridges. But, I say, this is about the darkest dark night I ever
remember. Glad I ain't on sentry-go. Can you make out where we are?"

"Yes. Can't you?"

"No, sir; we come such a long way round. But as far as I can make out,
we are somewhere at the back of them big trees where they fed the
helephants on Sham-Fight Day."

"Yes, I think that's right," whispered Archie, as they knelt together
whispering. "But let's get on; we must hit the river somewhere."

"Hope so, sir. It will be softer than hitting your head against trees.
I did get a poke just now when I went down, and it has made my nose
bleed wonderful."

"How tiresome! Let's get to the river, and the cold water will soon
stop it."

"All right, sir."

They had been creeping along for the most part on all fours for the past
hour since starting, so as to avoid friends and enemies, for they had
been expecting at any moment to hear a challenge from one of their own
outposts or receive a thrust from a Malay spear. But so far success had
attended them, and Peter had just caught hold of his officer's arm to
whisper that he could smell the river, but he said instead:

"'Ware hawk, Mister Archie!"

And the next moment there was a rush of feet, a rough-and-tumble
scuffle, the sound of blows, and Archie was down on his knees, panting
and trying hard to get his breath silently so that he should not be
heard.

"It's all over," he thought, "unless I can do it myself. Poor old Pete!
I wonder where he is."

He crouched a little lower as he heard the rustling of bushes a short
distance away, and he did not stir till the sounds died out, when,
guessing more than knowing where the river was, he made a slight
movement, and felt himself seized by the throat.

"You stir, and--"

"That you, Pete?"

"Mister Archie! My! You have done me good! Let's lie down, put our
heads together, and whisper. There were three of them, I think, and one
may have s