dangerous enough as a
rule, but this time we rattled 'em all to pieces. Still, I'm glad to
be in the open."

"Me Dain!" cried Jack, who was rapidly becoming himself again. "Is it
really you, alive and in the flesh? How did you escape after that
frightful fall from the ledge?"

"I had very good luck, sahib," chuckled the Burman, "very good luck.
The Kachin was under when we drop down, and that break my fall. I very
near drowned, but at last I got on bank. Then I go on up the pass, and
run to the other sahibs."

"Here's the road," said Jim Dent. "There's no moon, but we can see all
we want by the stars. Up you go."

Jack, Mr. Haydon, and the native woman were set on the ponies, and
then the little cavalcade moved briskly forward, talking as they went,
and exchanging experiences.

Me Dain's story made it plain that he had cleared the mouth of the
pass just before U Saw and his men blocked the way. He had put his
best foot forward and regained the camp, made in a solitary glen among
the hills, where Buck and Jim awaited him. The three of them had
started back at once well armed, but had travelled on foot in order
the more easily to escape observation. Thus the night had fallen by
the time they had gained the outskirts of the ruined city. They saw
the flare of the fire, and heard the voices of the encampment. Little
by little, and with the utmost care, they crept upon the Kachins and
brought aid in the very nick of time.

"Say, I don't guess we need trouble much about these little blue-kilts
any more," remarked Buck Risley.

"Not in the least, Buck," replied Mr. Haydon. "The death of their
leaders sets them at once free from their allegiance. I've no doubt in
the world but that the survivors will hurry back home and plunder U
Saw's house."

"And how did that little half-caste come off?" asked Jim Dent. "I hope
he had something for his trouble."

"Say, Jim," cried Buck, "didn't you twig that? It was about the best
touch in the show. The snake they'd got ready for Jack worked loose
when you dropped the King, and nipped the half-caste, and he hit the
long trail right away."

"Serve him right, the little varmint," was Jim's comment.

They had covered a league or more from the deserted city, when the
tinkle of running water fell on Jack's ears.

"That sounds like a brook," he said. "I'm fearfully thirsty."

"So am I," said his father. A brook it was, and they halted beside it
and drank their fill.

"Better sto