hope we shall go up; and I think that we shall do so, for it will
be the Captain's report that will help the authorities to decide
whether to appoint a Resident there or not."

A fortnight later a small dispatch boat steamed in and the news
soon spread through the ship that the Serpent was to ascend the
river on the following day. All was at once bustle and animation.
Sailors like anything for a change, and all were impatient at the
long delay that had occurred.



CHAPTER III.


The gunboat was a large one, and carried two midshipmen besides
Parkhurst and Balderson, who were, however, their seniors. The mess
consisted of the four lads, a master's mate, the doctor's assistant,
and the paymaster's clerk. In the gun room were the three lieutenants,
the doctor, the lieutenant of the marines, and the chief engineer.
The crew consisted of a hundred and fifty seamen and forty marines;
the Serpent having a somewhat strong complement. She had been sent
out specially for service in the rivers, being of lighter draught
than usual, with unusually airy and spacious decks, and so was well
fitted for the work. The conversation in the junior mess of the
Serpent was very lively that evening. The vessel since her arrival
on the station had made two runs between Singapore and Penang,
but those on board had seen but little of the country, and were
delighted at the thought of a possibility of active service, and
the talk was all of boat expeditions, attacks from piratical prahus,