. There was no hesitation with Jack.
Things stood at too desperate a pass with him that he should let
things hang in the wind. No sooner did he see the Kachin with the
torch reel back and drop the firebrand, than he swung his weapon on
high and darted at the two men who had halted in the tunnel. As he did
so he let out a mighty shout. Shout and blow fell together on the
hesitating Kachins. Both thrust their _dahs_ forward to parry the
unseen assault.

Jack's weapon fell with a ringing clash of steel across the _dah_ of
the leading man, beat it down, went on, and bit deeply into the
Kachin's skull. The latter reeled against his companion and clutched
him. For a second they swayed, then both men fell heavily together to
the ground.

Lying helpless as they were at his feet, it was a mere matter of a
couple of blows for him to utterly destroy both, and so lessen the
number of his enemies. But Jack could not strike fallen men. He
returned to his own end of the tunnel, and allowed them to creep back
to the outer cave, the wounded man crawling slowly after his friends.

This second repulse seemed to put Saya Chone and the Strangler beside
themselves with fury. They screamed invective and insult against Jack,
and threatened him with the most frightful penalties when he should
fall into their hands. Both had a perfect command of some of the worst
language in English that Jack had ever heard, but he took it all for
what it was worth, clutched his faithful broadsword tighter still, and
waited to see what their next attempt would be. He still cherished a
hope of escape. He had crippled pretty well half of the attacking
force, and if he could but hold them off till darkness came, there
might be an opportunity of escape in the moonless night.

"There were only four Kachins with them," thought Jack, "and the
natives they have picked up from the neighbouring village may be
dismissed as fighting men, if they are anything like the chaps who are
somewhere behind me here. The half-caste and the Malay seem to keep
out of the scrimmages. If I only have a bit more luck, I can chew them
up enough perhaps to make them sheer off and leave me alone."

As far as appearances went, they were leaving him alone now. But Jack
knew that appearances are too often deceitful. The outer cave looked
perfectly empty. Neither sign nor sound of human presence was given.
Saya Chone and the Strangler had gone away, leaping down from the
mouth of the outer c