"Fine!" exclaimed Jack with enthusiasm.
"Of course we can, sir," agreed Frank.
"All right, then; it shall be your job!"
Jack and Frank saluted.
"Thank you, sir," both said breathlessly.
Several hours later the two lads, in the captain's launch, found themselves at the head of a small flotilla moving slowly up the river. Each boat was equipped with one rapid-fire gun and carried twenty men. In all there were twelve boats.
The farther up the river the little party progressed the narrower became the stream, until finally it was little better than a deep creek. Foliage of large trees overhung the water, making it almost as dark as night. The water was black and murky.
Frank shuddered as he glanced at it.
"Looks like it might be full of all kinds of reptiles and things," he said.
"It certainly does," Jack agreed. "I would as soon think of jumping into the bottomless pit as of diving into this black stream."