hark! what
did I say?"

She held up her hand, and Ned leaned forward, peering out into the
darkness as the low distant cry of a wild beast was heard.

"Is that a tiger?"

"Yes, and it is so common that we scarcely notice it now. They never
come into the village; but of course it would be terribly dangerous
anywhere beyond the houses."

Ned still leaned forward listening, as the cry was repeated, and then,
in a low voice, he said: "Look, just where the light of the lamp shines
faintly, I thought I saw the gleam of a spear. Can you see it?"

"Oh yes! two--three," replied the girl, quickly. "There are more."

"But what are armed men doing there?"

"Don't you know?"

"No."

"They are your guard. But you need not take any notice of them. Of
course they will follow you about, and keep watch over your house, but
they will never speak to you, or seem watching, unless you are straying
too far."

"This is pleasant," said Ned, wiping his forehead.

"Oh, you will not mind after a day or two, and it is best: for it really
is dangerous for an Englishman to be up here unless he is under the
protection of the rajah."

The pleasant evening came to a close, and after a friendly parting from
their hosts, the two fresh additions to the rajah's village walked back,
Ned declaring that he could easily make out their house, and they
smiled, passed out of the gate, and without catching a glimpse of either
of the Malays on guard, they reached their own abode, where a shaded
lamp was forming an attraction to the insects of the jungle, and Hamet
was patiently awaiting their return.

"What a strange experience, Ned," said Murray, as they stood at the top
of their steps, watching the bright stars and the fireflies which were
gliding about among the low growth at the edge of the jungle, of which
they caught a glimpse hard by.

"But it is very beautiful and soft," said Ned, thoughtfully. "What a
lovely night!"

"Yes; not much like being in prison, is it?"

"No," said Ned; but, as he gazed, he could see the shadowy form of one
of the guards, a fact which he did not mention, though the fact of the
proximity of armed men seemed strange in connection with his uncle's
next words.

"We will not tug at the tether for a few days or weeks, Ned," he said.
"I daresay we shall get some rare collecting, and when we are tired,
we'll slip down to the boat some night and get right away. Hamet, I
daresay, could manage that."

"He would