“More fools they, sir, when they might catch our poor chaps quite done up in the darkness and without a shot to fire. But you don’t think, sir, as we are too late, and the niggers have made a rush, carried all before them, and ended up by finishing our lads off?”
“No, I don’t,” said Archie shortly; “and now don’t talk. What’s the use of making the worst of things?”
“Quite right, sir. There, I’ve done; but I’d give anything to get to work again. Just tell me this, sir: how much farther have we got to go?”
“A very little way,” whispered Archie, as he raised his head a little and peered through the boughs, to see that the fire was burning low and that they were now gliding into comparative darkness, evidently caused by the river mist keeping down the smoke, which hung low and partially obscured the light of the moon.
And now the big Malay was evidently busily using his pole, and thrusting hard to force the boat into the position he had marked. Then, as far as the listeners could make out, he had hauled up the little grapnel so that it hung over the side, worked hurriedly with his pole again, and then laid it leaning against a pile of boughs so that the two lads could hear the water dripping where they lay.
Then the grapnel was lowered again, and the boat swung round; and as Archie raised his head once more, it was to find that they were close up to their old position whence they had made their successful capture of the cartridges. And now it seemed as if they had suddenly glided from silence into the noise and turmoil of the fight, for from the shore came the shouts and yells of the Malays, who were evidently engaged in a savage attack upon the defenders of some portion of the station, and Archie, in his excitement, uttered a low:
“Thank Heaven!”
“What did you say that for, sir?” whispered Peter excitedly.
“That horrible silence, Pete, made me afraid that you were right.”
“Ah, yes, sir; and that all our poor lads were wiped out. It’s all right, sir, only that we ain’t got no cartridges. But what are you going to do, sir? We can’t go on lying here.”