CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.
FRESH DANGER.
"They're a long time sending those boats, Herrick," said the lieutenant to me soon after we had finished our meal.
"It's rather a long way, sir," I ventured to suggest.
"Oh yes, it's a long way; but with the state of dishipline to which I have brought the _Teaser_ they ought to have been here by now.

Suppose we were surrounded by the enemy, and waiting for their help to save us!" "We should think it longer than we do now, sir." Mr Reardon turned to me sharply, and looked as if in doubt whether he should treat my remark as humorous or impertinent.

Fortunately he took the former view, and smiled pleasantly.
"So we should, Herrick, so we should.

But if they knew it was to fetch all this loot on board, they'd make a little more haste." "They know it by this time, sir," I said.

"They must have met the first boat." "Oh, I don't know," he said rather sourly.