morrow afternoon," he said. "We've come a long
way on the right road by dropping on these boatmen. We're just handy
to the foot-hills, and the Professor skirted 'em, according to what Me
Dain says."

"Very well," said Jack. "Then we'll roll into our blankets, and be off
by daybreak."

Jack was so eager to start on the real trail, and so excited by its
nearness, that he slept but little. He was up an hour before the dawn,
and had got the fire burning when his companions awoke. Buck sat up,
and rubbed his eyes, and sniffed the smoke.

"Keen on a start, Jack?" he murmured.

"I am, Buck," replied the tall lad. "Haven't you told me a score of
times how the news of travellers in a country runs with marvellous
swiftness through the jungle, from village to village? Well, I want to
be ahead of the news. It might make Saya Chone and U Saw suspicious.
They knew very well we were in Mandalay. I don't want them to learn
too soon that we're at their very doors."

Jim Dent nodded. He, too, had wakened, and had been listening to Jack.

"Me Dain," said Jack, "go to the headman, and tell him we want a
couple of good ponies to carry the packs once more. Bring them here
for us to see, and then we'll pay the owners."

Within half an hour they had the pick of a score of capital little
beasts. They looked them over carefully, chose the couple which seemed
best suited to their needs, paid for them, and set to work to pack the
traps on them. Within an hour after sunrise they were on the march.

For several miles they followed a well-worn road running due north
from the village. This was to conceal their true line of march from
the knowledge of the curious villagers. But when they were well away
from the place, and safe from all prying eyes, they swung to the east
and marched straight through open country for the foot-hills, plainly
in view a score of miles away.

The sun was low and they had made a good day's journey, when Me Dain
halted on a little ridge, overlooking a sloping green valley with a
brook tinkling down its centre. Jack was beside him.

"There, sahib, there," said the Burman. "We have reached now the path
which the sahib, your father, followed. We made our camp, one night,
under those trees."

He pointed to a group of noble teak trees growing beside the little
brook, and Jack strode forward, and was soon standing on the spot
where his father had camped a month or two before. He had scarcely
reached the place when he