patiently awaiting his coming, and ready to lead him to the hiding-place
of the "Sea Witch" and her crew. The men were all well armed, and
instructed how to act in any possible emergency that was to be met with
in the business which brought them on shore.

On the whole body pressed in silence, through a tangled and narrow path,
being more than once startled by the growl of some wild animal, whose
haunts they disturbed. It was weary struggling by this path through the
wood, but it was the only way to approach the desired point by land.
Maud hesitated not, but stole or glided through the tangled undergrowth,
as though she had passed her whole life-time in the deep, tangled ways
of the jungle. As they went on, the moon gradually rose and lifted up
the dark path by little gleamings which stole in through the thick
leaves and close-turning branches of the lofty vegetation.

On, on they press; and now they pause at a sign from Maud, and listen to
the sound of voices, which have a strange and echo-like sound in that
wild and tangled spot. Hark! those voices are not from the tongues of
natives; that is English which they speak.

"Hist! hist!" whispered the Quadroon, "we are almost upon them!"

"In which direction?" asked the English officer.

"Here, see you not those bright, silver-like scales through the leaves?"

"Yes."

"That is the river's bed, and they lie on board their craft, moored
close to us."