feel sure of it," was the reply.

"Then don't you think we could get out the poles and work the boat
closer in?"

"I'm afraid to try, Pete. The stream seems running so strong that we
might be swept away."

"Oh, I don't know, sir, close inshore like this. I think we might
manage it. Hadn't we better try?"

"Well, yes," replied Archie, after a little hesitation. "We must use
the poles when we go away, unless we try going down-stream."

"Oh, that wouldn't do, sir. It would be running right into Rajah
Hamet's nest, even if we didn't meet Suleiman's men; and if we didn't do
neither we should have to carry the boxes through them who are
surrounding the Residency."

"We must get them somehow," cried Archie impatiently.

"Yes, sir. But we ain't getting them like this."

For answer Archie seized one of the poles that lay along under the
thwarts of the sampan, passed it over the side, and, to his great
delight, found that close in to the bank the eddy was so strong that
there would be no difficulty in working against the current. This
discovery made, the grapnel was pulled up and the sampan thrust in close
under the bank at the bottom of the Doctor's garden.

"Nothing like trying, sir," said Peter; and landing, he carried the
grapnel in to the full extent of the rope and pressed its flukes down
into the earth.

This was not done without noise, and the two lads stood listening for a
few minutes before proceeding farther. Once satisfied that there were
no fresh occupants in the bungalow, Archie led the way in, and the rest
of their task proved delightfully easy.

He knew enough of the interior of the Doctor's home to make for the
store-room at once. Everything was open, just as it had been left in
haste, and in spite of the darkness they easily found the little, square
boxes of cartridges lying exactly as Mrs Morley had described; and each
securing two, they were about to hurry down to the boat, when Archie
remembered the gun, which, he knew, was hanging over a cabinet in the
Doctor's study.

Placing his two boxes on the floor, he made for the Doctor's room, took
the gun from the hooks where it hung, and hurrying back to the room
where he had left the boxes, he found himself alone, for Peter had
hastened off with his portion of the load.

There was nothing for it but to wait; but at last his ears were
gladdened by the sound of his companion's hurried footsteps, and
together the remainder of the objects of