ith that treasure, probably millions? He will be able
to buy every priest and soldier in Allaha and still have enough left
for any extravagance that he may wish to plunge in."

"Sahib," suggested Ramabai, "let us send the women to the seaport in
care of Ahmed, while we men seek Umballa."

"Good!" Bruce struck his hands together. "The very thing."

"I refuse to be separated from father," declared Kathlyn. "If he is
determined to pursue Umballa back to Allaha, I must accompany him."

"And I!" added Winnie.

"Nothing more to be said," and Bruce signed to the boatmen to start.
"If only this breeze had not come up! We could have caught him before
he made shore."

Umballa paced the deck of the sloop, thinking and planning. He saw his
enemies leaving in the rescued boats. Had he delayed them long enough?
As matters stood, he could not carry away the treasure. He must have
help, an armed force of men he could trust. On the mainland were Ahmed
and the loyal keepers; behind were three men who wanted his life as he
wanted theirs. The only hope he had lay in the cupidity of the men on
the sloop. If they could be made to stand by him, there was a fair
chance. Once he was of a mind to heave the basket over the rail and
trust to luck in finding it again. But the thought tore at his heart.
He simply could not do it.

Perhaps he could start a revolt, or win over the chief of the village.
He had known honest men to fall at the sight of much gold, to fight for
it, to commit any crime for it--and, if need be, to die for it. But
the chief was with his enemies. Finally he came to the conclusion that
the only thing to be done was to carry the treasure directly to the
chief's hut and there await him. He would bribe the men with him
sufficiently to close their mouths. If Ahmed was on the shore, the
game was up. But he swept the mainland with his gaze and discovered no
sign of him.

As a matter of fact, Ahmed had arranged his elephants so that they
could start at once up the coast to the seaport. He was waiting on the
native highway for the return of his master, quite confident that he
would bring the bothersome trinkets with him. He knew nothing of
Umballa's exploit. The appalling thunder of the explosions worried
him. He would wait for just so long; then he would go and see.

Every village chief has his successor in hope. This individual was one
of those who had helped Umballa to carry the treasure from the cav