For all at once, as the boats pushed off and the sail of the foremost was being hoisted, the six men reappeared from where they had hidden in the woods and came running towards them, shouting and making signs. "They've caved in at once, skipper," said Briscoe laughingly. "Look here, you'd better have a court-martial and sentence them to give each other a round dozen with a rope's-end upon the bare back." "Look, look!" shouted Brace, springing to his feet and shading his eyes, before snatching up a rifle, an example immediately followed by the rest, for there in the distance appeared the whole of the six deserters running hard in a knot, and dodging in and out among the trees as they made for the shore, while in full pursuit there was about double their number of savages apparently armed with bows and arrows, of which they made use by stopping from time to time to send a shaft in pursuit of the fugitives. "Shall we land and go to their help?" said Brace. "I don't think we need," said Sir Humphrey. "They seem to be holding their own in running, and I suppose now, captain, you'll have no objection to them on board?" "Not a doubt of it, sir," said the captain drily. "Here, Lynton, haul that boat alongside. We shall want them now, Mr Brace." "Of course," replied the young adventurer. "But you haven't looked down the river, sir." "What at?" said Brace, staring; and then, panting with his excitement: "I say, there are four large canoes coming up." "That's right, sir," said the captain gravely. "Now look the other way. See that?" CHAPTER THIRTY ONE. THE FIRE GROWS HOTTER. "I do," said Briscoe, staring. "I can see two canoes coming round the bend yonder, half a mile away." "Two!" cried Brace excitedly; "why, there are three." "Yes," said the captain coolly; "we're took front, back, and flank. Better put off the rope's-ending now, Mr Briscoe, eh?" "Well, it would be better," said the American coolly, as he carefully loaded his piece. "These things are as well done privately and without a lot of lookers on. It might give these dark gentlemen a bad opinion of the whites." "What are you going to do, captain?" said Sir Humphrey impatiently. "There's only one course open to us, sir--and that is to fight." "I mean what will you do about those men who are ashore?" "Oh, they're settling that themselves, sir," said the captain, with a chuckle of satisfaction. "They've broke away like so many naughty boys who think they can manage for themselves, and as soon as they start they've got frightened and are running home for safety." "But you'll take them on board, won't you?" said Brace. "Certainly I shall, and make 'em fight too, sir," said the captain. "Yes," said the American, "and they'll have to do their level best. Shall I cover them, skipper, and let the niggers have a sprinkling of buckshot to show them we are ready?"