Gray ground his teeth with rage at his impotence, and he tried to get away unperceived, as it became evident that the nearest sentry heard nothing. Still at any moment there might come the warning shot from his rifle; for though everything was very plain to him, hidden in the midst of the Malays, it was quite horrible that not a sound might reach the most attentive of sentries, especially as every word was spoken in a whisper. It seemed impossible to get away without discovery. The slightest movement would have made his presence known, so closely had the boats come in. Still no alarm was raised. Then Gray began hoping that Captain Smithers or Ensign Long might be going the rounds, and his dread was lest they should fall into some trap. It was for him, then, to warn them, but how? The water was very cold, and seemed to Gray to be the cause of the chill that struck to his heart as he stood there wondering, and listened to what was evidently a rapid debarkation. Suddenly, as in imagination, he saw these merciless men gaining an entry to the fort and massacring all there, he recalled the fact that he possessed a pistol. A shot or two from that would give alarm to the sentries. And bring certain death upon himself! Well, he thought, as he paused for a few moments, why not? If he, by giving up his life could save those at the fort--his officers, comrades, the ladies, and the rest, ought he to hesitate--would he be doing more than his duty? It was a hard struggle. Life was very sweet, and he had but to remain perfectly still, to escape. Did he move, a dozen spears and krisses would be at his breast directly. He smiled as he told himself he was not hesitating, but that all he wished to do was his duty; and without a moment's hesitation he drew the little revolver from its pouch, held it out as high as he could, and drew the trigger. For answer there came a sharp click, and he knew that the water had damaged the cartridge. He tried again, with no other result than the noise of the fall of the hammer; and then Dullah's, or Rajah Gantang's, voice was heard in a reproving tone as he bade his men be silent. Gray tried again, but for the third time the cartridges, soaked as they were by being under water so long, refused to go off. But at his fifth and sixth pulls there were a couple of lines of light, and Gray felt astonished as he heard how loud were the reports the little weapon made. For with a couple of bright flashes that seemed to the astonished Malays to come out of the surface of the river, there were as many echoing reports, and as they rang out they were answered by sentry after sentry about the island, the last shot being fired by Private Sim, close at hand, after which he ran for his life.