onger, he came very slowly to the surface and put out his face. He drew a deep breath and looked eagerly about for the enemy, dreading to see a heavy oa

t some object in the water. A pang went through Jack's heart as he realised that one of his companions must be there, struggling for his life, and being brutally beaten under. Then he saw the fri

of Jim's hair, Jack struck out down stream and swam as fast as he could towards the approaching light, which was now much bigger and brighter. He had turned on his side to swim, and looked back now and again as he rose to his stroke. To his horror he saw the long,

ng over the water, the skiff was upon them, and a figure in the bow raised an oar to strike at Jack's head. Lifting himself high out of the water with a tremendous stroke, Jack yelled, "Help! help!" at the top of his voice. The oar fell, but the man had been flurried by that sudden wi

he skiff knew well now what vessel it was, and their only thought was of instant flight. The oar was abandoned, the skiff was turned round, and away it darted into the gloom which over

drawn into the vessel and

river," he said, and he raised hi

distance, and Jack's heart thr

as drawn into the launch, and then the little steamer, circling to and fro, scoured the river to find the Shan boatman. While this was being done, with one p

d Buck. "I can feel old Jim's heart b

at Dent's white face and clenched teeth, and thought h

ht," said Buck. "Ke

gn of your boatman. That was the man they were beating under, the

lied Buck. "We have n

the jungle. They work by night always. If we hadn't come up, your bodies, s

st-house where they were staying, and Jim was

mber is hitting my head a terrific crack against the prow of the sampan as I wen

right, so the policeman told me," said

o tell his story, and Jim Den

ou hadn't stuck to me. Those murdering rogues would have beaten me under easy enough, even

for me, Jim," said Jack. "We

was telling his story to the Burman landlord. The latter acted as interpreter, and they learned how the Shan, as much at home in the river as out of it, had dodged the blows of the oar, and dived and swum so far that their assailants had believed him sunk for ever, and had fol

mes. Without doubt they heard you speak English, and hoped to make a fine booty by drowning

ed. "It's handy and natural, an' all these people jump at it, of co

nds of U Saw had a finger in that little pie. It would have been a nice clean

it would have been rather useful if you could have pumped a

e were in a train where it would have seemed as out of place to wear

this country," said Buck, "and you'v

fellows who attacked us seemed

e they'd cracked off gun or pistol at us. A sound like that travels a long way over water, and draws a lot of attention. You see what a sharp watc

on fresh garments from their baggage. Jim Dent unstrapped the ammunition case, and e

" said Buck, "and at the same time we might want to do some shooting a

r, so that we can make a start on our expedition withou

rail straight from the beginning," said Buck. "We shall be spotted at once, and, as Jack says,

tched his jaw

t at the map. We ain't bound to follow just the only track which would give U Saw and h

on a table, and all

u go up the river by steamer to Thabeit-Kyim, and then you'v

ere are mule-trains and bullock-carts, an' men walkin' an' men ridin'. You can no more keep

somehow on my father's line without giving them such w

pick up one of his guides. Buck, here, can lay his hand on one of the people w

n came from who was the Professor's head man on his last trip, the chap who engaged the coolies and looked after everything. He was about as useful as

d Jack. "If we can get hold of him,

river. Very good, now we know what we're