“Yes, to be sure, so it is,” said the lieutenant. “We can see it coming this way. It’s masked by those trees the other way. Steady, my lads; steady. Let us go first.”
The creek was wider here, so the boats turned, and retook their former positions; but still there was no sign of the prahus.
“Those scoundrels must have led us wrong,” muttered the lieutenant; “there’s nothing here. Why, yonder’s the open river, isn’t it; or is it a wider space? Yes, thank goodness; there are the prahus after all.”
He waited till the other boats closed up, and then whispered his final orders, appointing two boats to attack one of the prahus while he made for the other alone.
“Now then,” he whispered, “are you all ready? A bold dash, my lads, and they are ours.”
“Please, sir,” said old Dick.
“What is it?” cried the lieutenant, angrily.
“Them’s our own two boats. I’d swear to ’em.”
“And I’m sure that’s firing,” cried Bob, aloud.
“Yes,” said Tom Long, speaking excitedly; “those were the two prahus we passed on the way down.”