e nivver knew it was a
tough ould hin."

CHAPTER TWELVE.

THROUGH THE JUNGLE.

A few days later, in which interval several little boating journeys had
been made, the results of which could be seen in Murray's house, which
was rapidly beginning to show traces of its being intended for a museum,
the morning broke fine and comparatively cool; and just at sunrise Mr
Braine came to where Ned and his uncle was seated at their early
breakfast, to announce that the preparations settled upon the previous
evening had been made.

Murray had finished his meal, but Ned was still engaged in getting ready
for a tolerably long fast to mid-day, when a good meal would be
prepared.

He was still lingering reluctantly over his breakfast when Frank
appeared, and as soon as the two boys were together, Murray drew Mr
Braine out into the veranda. "Well," he said; "any fresh news?"

"No," replied Mr Braine; "and in spite of my long experience of the
man, I am half-disposed to think that I may be wrong."

"Then you do not think I need stay?"

"Oh no."

"Because I should not like to be out of the way if there was any
trouble."

"You need have no fear for to-day. He has been perfectly quiet and
interested in some affairs connected with the rajah of the next state.
This man has offended him, and I should not feel a bit surprised if war
broke out between them."

"I don't care what breaks out so long as you are wrong in your ideas
about that affair," said Murray, excitedly. "It worries me so that I
hardly like to leave the place to go collecting."

Mr Braine smiled to himself as he saw how genuine Murray's interest
was.

"You shall have the earliest information if anything is wrong," he said.

"But why wait for anything to be wrong. Would it not be much better for
the ladies to leave this place at once?"

"Much better, of course."

"Then why not make a strong effort, and get them down to Malacca?"

"For the simple reason that no efforts we could make would be half
strong enough. The only way would be to try to escape."

"Well, why not try that?"

"Because there is such a thing as failure, my dear fellow, and that
would mean placing us all in a ten times worse position than we are in
now."

Murray frowned and looked intensely miserable.

"Come," said Mr Braine; "don't let us conjure up what may be imaginary
troubles. Call those boys, and be off before the sun gets more power.
I tell you that you may go away perf