emed to be settled, he softly
raised the one that was loose, and rolled it, as it were, over on to the
side, leaving a narrow opening through the floor.

Just as he did so, a low, snarling growl close at hand announced the
return of the tiger.

This was terrible; for if he descended now, he was going from one danger
to another, and his position was pitiable. At any moment the Malays
might come in and see that the bamboo had been moved; and now all he had
to do was to squeeze down through the opening, and glide away into the
darkness.

There was the snarling growl again. The tiger evidently scented prey,
and it came closer and closer. In fact, Ali felt that it was quite
possible that the beast might spring up at the opening to seize him.

What could he do but wait?

His patience was rewarded; for as the great cat came prowling nearer,
one of the Malays, who was uneasy at its presence, seized a torch, as
had been done the past night; the others standing ready with their
spears, advanced, and waiting until the animal seemed ready to make a
spring at the door, he hurled the blazing piece of dammar, overturning
the second torch in the act, one of his companions trampling it out, to
save the floor from being set alight.

There was a snarling yell, once more followed by a loud shout from the
Malays, when the tiger was heard to bound heavily away through the
jungle, its yell being answered by another tiger some distance away.

Now was Ali's time. The Malays were talking, and trying to relight the
torch, the place being in total darkness; and without a moment's
hesitation the prisoner softly let himself down through the long narrow
slit, lower and lower, till he reached his waist, where the kris stopped
his further descent.

This was horrible, as he was as it were caught in the narrow hole, and
he could not get the kris out from the folds of his silken sarong.

The Malays, though, were busy over their light; and freeing the weapon
at last, he let himself glide down lower and lower, but not without
noise, for there was hardly room for him to pass, and he began to
tremble, lest his head should refuse to go through.

At any moment his guards might come in and find him in this helpless
state, for he dared not hurry, but had to literally force his way down
till he had only his head and shoulders above, his eyes glaring wildly
in the direction of the outer room, where the Malays were talking.

By sheer force of muscle