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 have been reported to me. Besides the escape of white men from the garrison would when known arouse so much excitement that I must have heard of it."

The Colonel meditated for a while. He seemed to be in doubt. At length he resumed, "Tomonggong, I must recapture these men, if only to prevent the example from spreading among our troops. If those poor fellows get among the natives of the upper country they will unquestionably be attacked and perhaps killed."

"Yes, sir, they will be. The head-hunters will not spare them. But do you think they have risked going inland?"

"Their flight seaward is almost impossible," replied the Colonel. "Two cruising vessels are stationed at the mouth of the river and the whole south coast is blockaded by steamers. Suppose they manage to break through the cordon. What then? Dare they risk a voyage on an open sea in a miserable canoe, especially at this season, when the westerly gales blow with such fury? That would be tantamount to self-destruction. And then whither could they go. To Java? If they should by chance succeed in reaching the island, they would fall into the hand of the police, who are exceedingly vigilant. No: my theory is that they have gone to the interior. They will avoid all inhabited parts and try to reach Sarawak."

"Could they not do that by sea ?"

"Well, yes; but they would have then to elude the cruisers and the blockading steamers. That accomplished, as soon as they rounded Cape Batoe Titi, they would fall into the line of our vessels running between Eastern Java and Singapore. Then