"We must go down to the mouth of the river as soon as it is day, and see if there are any English or French vessels there. They would help us."
"Lahn says the river is full of the second king's fighting boats, Sahib, and you could not go down. The boat would be stopped, and you would all be slain."
There was silence in the boat till Sree spoke again.
"The Sahibs must hide."
"Hide?" cried Phra; "where could we hide now? We should be seen, and to please the bonzes the people would give us up."
"You must hide in the boat, Sahib Phra," said the old hunter quietly.
"What, go up the river again, and get into the jungle?"
"No, Sahib; we must be here—close to the palace."
"But with all the enemy's boats about, how can we?" said Mr. Kenyon.
"By being bold, Sahib," said Sree. "His servant will make the boat look dirty and common with mats where the cabin is, and throw that into the river. The Sahibs must hide beneath the mats; the men can hide their good padungs and sit in the boat and fish and chew."