“Perhaps to test our willingness to do right,” suggested Nigel.

“I know not,” returned the hermit, as if musing, but never raising his voice above the softest whisper.  “My difficulty lies here; I must go forward to save the life of my friend.  I must not leave you at the mouth of a mangrove river to die or be captured by pirates, and yet I have no right to ask you to risk your life on my account!”

“You may dismiss your perplexities then,” said Nigel, promptly, “for I decline to be left to die here or to be caught by pirates, and I am particularly anxious to assist you in rescuing your friend.  Besides, am I not your hired servant?”

“The risk we run is only at the beginning,” said Van der Kemp.  “If we succeed in passing the Dyaks unseen all will be well.  If they see us, they will give chase, and our lives, under God, will depend on the strength of our arms, for I am known to them and have thwarted their plans before now.  If they catch us, death will be our certain doom.  Are you prepared?”

“Ready!” whispered Nigel.

Without another word the hermit took his place in the bow of the canoe.  Moses stepped into the stern, and our hero sat down in the middle.

Before pushing off, the hermit drew a revolver and a cutlass from his store-room in the bow and handed them to Nigel, who thrust the first into his belt and fastened the other to the deck by means of a strap fixed there on purpose to prevent its being rolled or swept off.  This contrivance, as well as all the other appliances in the canoe, had previously been pointed out and explained to him.  The hermit and negro having armed themselves in similar way, let go the bushes which held them close to the bank and floated out into the stream.  They let the canoe drift down a short way so as to be well concealed by the bend in the river and a mass of bushes.  Then they slowly paddled over to the opposite side and commenced to creep up as close to the bank as possible, under the deep shadow of overhanging trees, and so noiselessly that they appeared in the darkness like a passing phantom.

But the sharp eyes of the pirates were too much accustomed to phantoms of every kind to be easily deceived.  Just as the canoe was about to pass beyond the line of their vision a stir was heard in their camp.  Then a stern challenge rolled across the river and awoke the slumbering echoes of the forest—­perchance to the surprise and scaring away of some prowling beast of prey.

“No need for concealment now,” said Van der Kemp, quietly; “we must paddle for life.  If you have occasion to use your weapons, Nigel, take no life needlessly.  Moses knows my mind on this point and needs no warning.  Any fool can take away life.  Only God can give it.”

“I will be careful,” replied Nigel, as he dipped his paddle with all the muscular power at his command.  His comrades did the same, and the canoe shot up the river like an arrow.