They had been lying down perhaps a couple of hours when they were roused by the discharge of a cannon. They all leaped to their feet and Johannes with cat-like celerity clambered into a cedar tree close at hand, which commanded an extended view seaward. What he saw was far from reassuring. A number of canoes shot out from the Lesser Dayak and signalled the cruising vessels. These immediately weighed their anchors and made sail to meet the canoes. The trader had altered her course, spread more canvas and was keeping close to the wind. She had also begun to employ her oars, endeavoring by the aid of vigorous rowing to avoid being overhauled. A wild pursuit of her now commenced; but although the cruisers carried as much canvas as they could set, the pursued vessel seemed to keep her advantage. A couple of shots danced along the tops of the waves, but the diminutive guns of the Dutch Indian cruisers could not carry far enough. Johannes at last could distinguish nothing more than a couple of dim specks on the horizon. He therefore descended and with a sigh attacked La Cueille, in reprehension of his culpable indiscretion. “See there,” he said, “the consequences of your drunken cry. Beastly sot! They are on our track already.” “But what did you see?” asked Wienersdorf. Johannes related what he had seen. “The canoe they are pursuing,” added he, “is Baba Poetjieng’s smuggler. What may not happen when they overtake him? Before twenty-four hours have passed, there will be two hundred boats cruising along the coast. I wish that drunken Walloon——” Wienersdorf stopped him, observing, “Of what use is it to rave or to reproach? We must act. Now what are we to do?” “The whole plan has collapsed. We cannot proceed along the southern coast;—can we, Dalim?” he continued, addressing one of the Dayaks. “No mistake about that; the way there is blocked.” He consulted for a few minutes with his countrymen and then pointing with his hand to the north, said—“There!” “Up the Kahajan?” asked Johannes. “No; we could not pass there. They will certainly examine the Kahajan.” “What then?” “Through the Troessan.” “Won’t they overhaul that?” asked Johannes. “Certainly; but we must hurry on. The soengei Dahasan opens into the Troessan and communicates with the soengei Basarang, which joins the Kapoeas on the north side of the fort. Not a soul knows that region, but I noticed the fact sometime ago when I was there cutting rattan. Let us hasten: once in Kapoeas we are safe; they won’t look for us in that direction.” They were all convinced of the prudence of this advice. Not an instant was to be lost; even this way now projected might at any moment become impassable. No resource would then be left to them, save either to commit suicide or to throw themselves into the hands of their pursuers. They took the canoe from its hiding-place, pushed it into the swiftly flowing stream and were soon going at a rapid pace.