Brandon of the Engineers

"If we can get out on the other side, we oughtn't to be very far from the

lagoon," Jake suggested.

Presently there was a faint rippling against the bows and the launch

began to swing round.

"The tide's coming through from the other end," said Dick. "We may find a

channel if we can push her across the mud."

For half an hour they laboriously poled her with a long oar and the

boathook between the banks of mire. Sometimes she touched and stuck until

the rising water floated her off, and sometimes she scraped along the

bottom, but still made progress. They were breathless and soaked with

perspiration, while the foul scum that ran off the oar stained their damp

clothes. Then Jake's boathook sank a foot or two deeper and finding the

depth as good after a few vigorous pushes, they started the engine.

Sour exhalations rose from the wake of the churning screw and there was a

curious dragging feel in the boat's motion, as if she were pulling a body

of water after her, but this was less marked when Jake found three or

four feet, and by and by he threw down the pole and they went half-speed

ahead. After a time, the mangroves outshore got farther off, the air

smelt fresher, and small ripples broke the surface of the widening

channel. They went full-speed, the trees faded, and a swell that set her

rocking met the boat, although there still seemed to be a barrier of sand

or mud between her and open sea.

Giving Jake the helm, Dick crawled under the foredeck, where the

floorings were drier than anywhere else, and lay smoking and thinking

until day broke. The light, which grew brighter rapidly, showed a

glistening line of surf to seaward and mangrove forest on a point ahead.

Beyond this there seemed to be an inlet, and then the shore curved out

again. As they passed the point Dick stood up on deck and presently saw

two tall spars rise above the mist. A few minutes later, the top of a

funnel appeared, and then a sharp metallic rattle rang through the haze.

"We're in the lagoon," he said. "That's the Danish boat and she hasn't

finished heaving cargo on board."