The man declined. He had, he said, sufficient fruit and dried fish
for his journey back. A few minutes later he took his place in the
little canoe and drifted away into the darkness, and was soon lost
to sight.



CHAPTER VI.


"Things are coming to a crisis, Harry," Dick Balderson said, in
a tone of delight, as they left the captain's cabin. "We now know
what we all along suspected--the rajah is a rascal, and we have
not only found out where his prahus are hidden, but have them corked
up in a bottle."

"Nothing could be better, Dick, and I expect we shall have some
pretty hot work. Of course the Serpent cannot get up that creek,
though she can place herself at the entrance and prevent their
getting away; but there still remains the work of capturing or
driving them down the creek, and that is likely to be a very tough
job."

The next morning the second lieutenant, the mate, and Harry Parkhurst
were sent for to the captain's cabin. The first lieutenant was
there. They were each asked their opinion as to whether the prahus
could force their way through the creek by which they had ascended.

"It is a most important point," the captain said: "and indeed,
everything might depend upon it."