fresh clouds of aromatic smoke rolled out still
thicker and faster than before. A swirl of the air currents within the
cave sent a thick billowing mass full on the spot where Jack crouched.
The brave lad felt that he was choking, that his senses were deserting
him, as he drew, involuntarily, the pungent, biting smoke into his
lungs.

He flung himself on his face, coughed out the smoke he had swallowed,
and caught one refreshing gasp of sweet air blowing up the tunnel.
Then the fresh air was driven back by the huge billow of smoke, and
the heavy clouds settled about Jack. He could not have moved now had
he wished. He was the prey of the thick suffocating smoke, and a swift
merciful unconsciousness fell upon him and put an end to the agonies
he had so nobly endured.

When Jack came to himself again, the first thing he knew was that he
had failed to keep himself out of the clutch of his enemies. When he
opened his bleared and smarting eyes and looked round, he saw the
dark face of Saya Chone straight before him. The half-caste said
nothing, only grinned in evil joy, and Jack closed his eyes again with
a groan of despair. He felt that he was once more in bonds, though
they were not so close and galling as before. He was dripping wet, and
his eyes pained him cruelly.

He lay still for a few instants, then pulled himself together, jerked
himself into a sitting position, and looked round boldly, determined
to put the best face possible on the situation, and not give the
half-caste the joy of gloating over an enemy who acknowledged himself
beaten.

He found he was in the outer cave, and through the tunnel he could see
plainly the glow of the fire still blazing in the inner recess. But no
smoke came this way. Clearly the rift had been opened, and the fire
was pulling up towards the natural vent. Jack looked round and saw
that he was in the midst of a pool of water; he supposed that it had
been flung upon him to bring him to.

"Well," said Saya Chone at last, "are you not going to thank me for
saving the life you seemed obstinately bent upon throwing away? If I
had not been able to order a couple of fellows, as careless of their
lives as you of yours, to go into the smoke and drag you out, it would
have been all over with you by now."

Jack made no answer. He did not so much as trouble to look at Saya
Chone. He ignored him entirely, and glanced down at the fetters which
confined his limbs. He found that his ankles were b