"No, I am quite sure that the captain would not let us go now, and
indeed, I would not ask him, even if I were sure he would, for we
may get to blows with the rajah any day; he cannot put off giving
a final answer much longer. I wonder the captain stood his shilly
shallying so long as he has."

It was but two evenings after this that, as the two midshipmen
were leaning against the bulwarks, watching the reflection of the
stars in the sluggish stream, a native sampan stole silently out
from the shadow of the shore and dropped down alongside the Serpent.
So noiseless was the movement that the two men on the lookout in the
bow did not notice it, and the midshipmen thought it was a shadow
of some dark object floating down stream, when it came alongside
and a man stood up.

"Hello!" Harry said, "you must not come alongside like this: what
do you want?"

"Dick, Harry, Doctor; come from Hassan."

"Oh, that is it; all right, come on board," and, leaning over, he
stretched out his hand to the native, who seized it, and in a moment
stood by his side on the deck, holding the head rope of his sampan
in his mouth.

"Davis," Harry said to the sailor who was standing two paces
away, "just go down to the wardroom, and tell the doctor, with my
compliments, that I shall be obliged if he will come on deck at
once. Say that it is something particular."