ition. At a glance the besieged saw that the gun was much larger
than the first, and would throw a heavier ball.

"We shall have to pick off those fellows at work with the new gun,"
said Jack. "Perhaps that will terrify them into flight."

"I hope so," said Jim, but there was not much hope in his voice. "The
worst of these little chaps is that they never know when they're
beaten. They'll give their lives to get yours, as cheerfully as
possible."

"And they don't set any high value on their lives, either," chimed in
Buck. "Whoever's runnin' the show over there, he'll spend his men's
blood like water for the chance o' catchin' us and puttin' us to death
as slowly as he can make the time spin out."

"Slowly? Killing us slowly, Buck?" said Jack. "What do you mean?"

"Torture," replied Buck, and the one dreadful word was answer enough.

Crack! It was Jim's Mannlicher which spoke, but the bullet missed its
aim. The dacoits at work about the big _jingal_ had artfully placed
the weapon so that its mouth pointed from between two close-growing
teak saplings, and the trees formed a safe cover for the gunners.

"I thought I could pick one of 'em off that time," remarked Jim, "but
I believe I only hit a tree after all."

At this instant a figure was seen for a moment behind the long gun. A
dacoit stepped into view, crouched down, and carefully trained the
piece. There was a second crack, and the freebooter dropped under the
_jingal_ and never moved. Jack had fired and sent a Mannlicher bullet
through the dacoit's brain.

"I say, you can shoot a bit," cried Jim Dent admiringly, and Buck
chuckled.

"I guess he can, Jim. He put on a very pretty string o' bull's-eyes at
Bisley, shootin' in the competition for public schools. The Professor
grinned all over his face when he read how Jack headed the list with a
highest possible."

Buck's speech was cut short by a loud roar from the _jingal_. The
fallen dacoit had trained it perfectly before he dropped, and a
comrade now touched off the piece. At the next moment a terrific crash
rang through the building. The heavy missile had lighted full on the
point where the door was secured by the stout bar, had smashed its way
through door and bar and hurled the door open. As the portal flew
back, there was a tremendous yell from the edge of the jungle. Then a
cloud of blue figures burst into sight. With gleaming _dahs_
flourished on high, or long-barrelled muskets thrown forward ready to