Page:A Sailor Boy with Dewey.djvu/85

Rh of our belongings, excepting our clothing, had been confiscated.

At the further side of the brush we came to a small stream, which we plunged into ere we had time to draw back.

"Look out, it may be over your head!" shouted Dawson; but the warning was not needed, as the watercourse proved to be less than a yard deep at any point. The bottom was of sand and small stones, and both sides were overhung with brush, moss, and the ever-present vines.

"Hold on," whispered my companion, as I was about to step out of the stream. "It may be safer here than anywhere, for water leaves no trail. Let us keep to the middle of the stream and see where it brings us."

I thought this was good advice, and we hurried on in silence, but both on guard for fear of plunging into some deep hole. A hundred feet were covered and we heard the shout again, but this time closer, showing that the Tagals were indeed on the trail.

"If it comes to the worst we can sit down in the water and only keep our mouths and noses out," remarked Dawson. "I'm not going to be captured again if I can prevent it—no, sirree!"

We moved along with added caution, for we could now hear the natives shouting one to