uring the day, and at last obtained his
father's consent. It was scarcely easier to win over Underhill; but
with him Tom cut the matter short.

"You command the men," he said, with a smile. "My father commands
me--in a sense, for I'd have you know I am over age. I'm going to have
a try. Get the men ready to make a dash when I come back, for if I
succeed the sooner we set about it the better."

The knowledge of his intended expedition had a wonderful effect on the
spirits of the men. Their faces brightened: they threw off the
lethargy of despondence which had settled upon them, and discussed
with some animation the chances of success.

An hour after nightfall, having first looked and listened for any sign
of the enemy, Tom was let out through a gap in the barricade. He
caught two or three light-giving insects in the bushes just beyond,
and set off in the direction in which the natives had always retreated
when their attacks were beaten off.

It was pitch dark in the belt of forest. Night insects hummed around;
sometimes Tom heard the rustle made by some small animal as it darted
through the undergrowth; there was no other sound. He was able to
determine his general direction by means of the compass, but as the
forest grew thicker he began to fear that he would find more
difficulty than he had anticipated in retracing his course. The damp
warm air was oppressive; now and then he struck his head against a
low branch, stumbled over a stump or a fallen bough, or found his feet
entangled in the meshes of some creeping plant. He was soon bathed in
perspiration; every new sound made him jump; and with every stumble he
waited and listened with beating heart, wondering if he had betrayed
his presence to the enemy. He thought ruefully that his speed as a
sprinter would avail him little on ground like this; he had his
revolver, but that would be useless against numbers; discovery would
mean death.

Amid so many obstructions his progress was terribly slow. It was seven
o'clock when he started; when it occurred to him to look at his watch
he was startled to find that two hours had passed. He could not tell
how far he had come, nor guess how far he had yet to go. He hesitated;
should he go back? Was there any use in struggling further? What
chance was there in this dense forest of finding what he sought? Might
he not even miss the savages' camp altogether, go beyond it, leave it
either on his right hand or his left, or perhaps s