f narrow cracks in the rock, and bramble-like canes ever ready to
trip him up. However, fortunately, the trees and bushes were pretty
open on that dry hill-side, and he could pick his way. But there was no
shot, and he saw no sign of bird or reptile; only a few butterflies
which started up from among the dry herbage, and went flapping away
among the trees.

Once or twice he heard the crackling of twigs on his left, and once he
fancied that he could hear the Malays coming on behind him; but he was
not sure, and he toiled on, bathed in perspiration, thinking how
wonderfully still everything was out there, and how loud the rustling
noise was he made with his boots in forcing his way through the scrub.

All at once, just as he was thinking what a likely place that steep
stony hill-side looked for snakes, a magnificent butterfly sprang up
within a yard or two of his feet, and as he stopped short, he saw it go
fluttering on in a zigzag fashion, and then pounce down all at once,
only a little way on before him, and right in the direction he had to
go.

"I don't see why I shouldn't have a specimen too," he said to himself,
as, regardless of the heat, he took off his straw hat, and crept
silently on with his eyes fixed upon the spot where the beautiful insect
had disappeared. He was within a yard of it, with upraised hat ready to
strike, when it darted up, and he made a bound forward, striking
downward with his hat at the same time.

The result was unexpected. Ned's step was on to nothing, and, letting
go of his hat, he uttered a cry of horror as he felt himself falling
through bushes, and then sliding along with an avalanche of stones,
apparently right away into the bowels of the earth, and vainly trying to
check himself by stretching out his hands.

One moment he saw the light dimmed by the green growth over the mouth of
the opening, the next he was in utter darkness, and gliding down rapidly
for what seemed, in his horror and confusion, a long period. Then all
at once the rattling, echoing noise of falling stones ceased, and so did
his progress, as he found himself, scratched and sore, lying on his side
upon a heap of stones, some of which were right over his legs. It did
not take him long to extricate himself, and stand upright with his hands
resting on a cold rocky wall, and as he stood there in the darkness, he
obeyed his first impulse, which was to shout for help. But at every cry
he uttered there was so terri