Jack Haydon's Quest

the East, and the great silent river spread itself abroad in the bright starshine till its low distant banks were lost to sight, and the sampan seemed to be crossing a vast lake.

ater. Jack dropped his hand into the stream and found it warm to the fingers. Then he felt that the riv

in the wate

ped his h

mills on the banks up above, and they pitch the husks into th

ong current,

this river. It'll sweep you away like the under-tow of a strong tid

rgo-boat now passing them, but a good distance away. Suddenly he sharpened the glance of his keen eyes and looked

ehind that big ship, and it's ma

lter of the cargo-boat. I've been keeping a watch on the river round us." He said a few words in t

ll go straight on," said Jim Dent. "If they

fast," s

ce more, and a few sente

six men," announced Jim. "He knows by the shap

r us, Jim?" asked B

"But I wish we were ashore. This isn

ng shape behind them, and the

erce tones broke into the tense sil

ir game?" h

t of stiff teak planks, with a nose as sharp and hard as an iron spike.

drop an oar on the head of

intent. They meant to run down the slight sampan and hurl its occupants into the deadly current below. Driven by

at his light vessel was run down, and he beat the water with long powerful strokes which drove the tiny craft forward with great power. Jim Dent had begun to rummage in the ster

for us, Jim?" cried Ja

t," said Dent. "I'll lay in with all the strength

iously with their oars in order to overtake and ram the slight vessel they pursued. One, two, three hundred yards were covered. Jack's heart sank. The skiff had gained terribly. Manned by six powerful oarsmen, she was cutting down the distance

d the relative distances, and he spoke in the native tongue with the Shan

paddle, Buc

in his body was tingling to put its strength again

ght low on the water, as if a boat was coming towards them. He wondered whether it meant chance of help, but in any case,

ascinated eye. There was not the faintest sound made, save for the regular plash of the rising and falling oars. They were so near that he could

was heard from the pursuing boat. A single word rang out from the steersman, and the rowers bent to one last tremendous effort to hurl their stout skiff upon the fragile sampan. But at that very i

but did not attempt to snatch it from the oarsman's clutch. He had no time for that, but he made splendid use of the chance afforded him. He gave it a tremendous push, and released it. Th

tom of the sampan, Jack put all his strength into the strokes of the broad paddle. He had paddled a canoe often enough at home on the river which ran near the school, and his powerful young arms bac

cry, "She's hit a floating log." The sampan was uninjured. She had struck the obstacle with her tough keel-piece, and had been turned aside at right angles. The Shan had been flung down too, but was up in an instant and gathering his oars. But this loss

He felt the sampan turn turtle under him, and in another second he was s