and don't let these wolves see that we are peckish."

"Not me."

Taking the hint, Jack drew in a reef.

The two young comrades were, in reality, not much improved by this
movement; but they thought they were, and imagination goes a great way.

But hunger is an intruder whose importunities there is no denying for
any length of time, and so it fell out that, in spite of their brave
and manful efforts at keeping up each other's pluck and spirit, he
gnawed at their vitals in a way which reduced not only their stamina,
but their spirits.

"This is to be our prison," said Harry Girdwood gloomily; "I feared it
would be."

"It is rather like the Lethe than anything else," said young Jack,
pointing to the silent water below. "If we remain here long, we shall
forget all that has gone before, you may be sure. This is the place to
drive us out of our wits more than any spot we could imagine."

"Rather the Styx than the Lethe," said Harry; "banish all hope who
enter here."

It was indeed a spot to evoke gloomy reflections, and the boys were in
a frame of mind to indulge in such.

This place, they found, was fixed upon as the camp of the brigands, who