The sun was high in the heavens when Jack awoke. He jumped up with a start. Frank was not there. Jack made a hasty toilet and set out to find his friend. He came upon him at the river landing, and, as the lad cast his eyes down the stream he made out the launch of Captain Marcus coming, swiftly toward the camp. He tapped Frank lightly on the shoulder. "Why didn't you wake me up?" he demanded. "Well, you were sleeping so comfortably I hated to disturb you," replied Frank. "And I suppose you would have let Captain Marcus find me asleep?" "I don't believe he would have minded. He knows we all sleep some time." "I'll get even with you one of these days," said Jack laughing, and both lads stepped to the very edge of the landing to give Captain Marcus a hand as he clambered from the boat. "How is everything?" he demanded, as he arose to his feet. "First rate," replied Frank. "No signs of the enemy?"' "Not a sign, sir." "Good! Evidently he doesn't know we have occupied the town. I believe that by a quick dash we can capture Boak. What do you think?" "Fine!" exclaimed Jack with enthusiasm. "Of course we can, sir," agreed Frank. "All right, then; it shall be your job!" Jack and Frank saluted. "Thank you, sir," both said breathlessly. Several hours later the two lads, in the captain's launch, found themselves at the head of a small flotilla moving slowly up the river. Each boat was equipped with one rapid-fire gun and carried twenty men. In all there were twelve boats. The farther up the river the little party progressed the narrower became the stream, until finally it was little better than a deep creek. Foliage of large trees overhung the water, making it almost as dark as night. The water was black and murky. Frank shuddered as he glanced at it. "Looks like it might be full of all kinds of reptiles and things," he said. "It certainly does," Jack agreed. "I would as soon think of jumping into the bottomless pit as of diving into this black stream." Around bend after bend in the small stream the little flotilla proceeded cautiously, and ever, as they progressed, the stream became narrower and more fear-inspiring. In some of the boats men began to grumble. Jack turned and called out angrily: "Silence!" Then he added more companionably: "It's all right, men. Where men have gone before men can go now without fear of the unknown. I'll admit it doesn't look very pleasant, but surely an English sailor is not afraid to go where a German foot has trod." The men started a cheer at the lad's words, but he silenced them by a motion of his hand, and called out: "Silence! We do not want to warn the enemy of our approach." Now, rounding a little bend in the stream, the lads could make out, some distance ahead, what appeared to be the huts of a little village. Also, they could see that, at that point, the stream widened out considerably.