"Then I'm not to hit out, no matter what they do to me?" "Certainly not." "But suppose I see 'em hitting or prodding you, sir? Must do something then." "Nothing whatever, Ned; I'll bear it patiently in the hope of getting a chance to escape later on." "All right, sir; but I'm getting very hungry for a bit of revenge." "Wait, Ned, and perhaps it will come." The difficulties of the descent detained them so that it was fast nearing sunset when the ravine began to widen out and pass beneath the branches of the huge forest monarchs which clothed the lower slopes of the mountain, and wearied out with the day's exertion, Jack began to look out eagerly for the green, park-like expanse which followed the dense jungle, to be succeeded in turn by the sands that ran down into the lagoon. The more open part appeared sooner than he expected, and with it the river widened into a good-sized pool of open water, where, to the prisoners' surprise, they suddenly found themselves face to face with another party of blacks, who welcomed the new-comers with an eager jabbering as they closed round and examined their captives curiously. "Our chance of escape cut shorter, Mr Jack," said Ned. "Yes, I'm afraid so, Ned. They must have been camping here; and I suppose we shall have to stop in this place for the night?" "Dunno. P'r'aps," said Ned. "See that, Mr Jack?" He glanced down beneath the trees, where the water lay dark and deep; but for a few moments Jack saw nothing unusual. The next moment though he uttered a little cry of surprise. "Yes," he said, "I see it now, the boat--drawn right up beneath the boughs." It was impossible to comprehend the words of the reunited parties of the blacks, but easy to grasp the meaning of their gestures, and as Jack's attention was caught by the eager conversation going on, he pretty well saw that those who had been waiting had seen danger, for they kept on pointing and making other signs, the end being that the prisoners were hurried down to the edge of the water, and pushed toward the great canoe. "All right!" cried Ned angrily. "I ain't a sack of oats: I can get in. Don't chuck a fellow into the tub." Expostulation was useless, and the two were thrust down in the bottom; the blacks hurried in and took their places, each man seizing his paddle, and in perfect silence they began to dip their blades into the smooth water, the huge canoe began to move very slowly, and then by degrees faster, the men paddling almost without a splash. "The _Star_ must be pretty close at hand, Mr Jack," said Ned, as they glided at last out of the little dark river into the bright, golden waters of the lagoon, "and they know it; that's how I take all their play-acting jigging about to mean." "Yes, Ned, that's it. Oh, if we could only see her, or one of the boats! Which way are they going?"