hat's what he said. Perhaps he said it because he thought I was a
long-legged one and meant to run away; and I should have been about
doing so before now if there hadn't been reasons."

"What reasons, Pete?"

"Why, you, sir. You don't suppose I was going to cut and leave my mate
in such a hole as this?"

"Ostrich?" said Archie dreamily. "What could he mean by that? Oh--
prisoners! He called you a hostage, and we are to be kept as hostages
for some reason connected with something that's going on."

"Ah! that's right, sir."

As the young private sat on the palm-leaf-covered floor of the wooden
building, gazing at his companion in misfortune, and thinking of how
changed he looked, Archie slowly closed his eyes and appeared to be
asleep, though he was now trying to make up for lost time, and thinking
deeply.

"Wonder what's the matter with his eyes," mused the young private. "He
can't see, or else he wouldn't keep on talking about its being dark."

Suddenly Archie unclosed his eyes and said:

"Are your legs and wrists better now?"

"It's my head that was the worst, sir," was the reply.

"But you said that your legs and wrists were so cruelly tied up that the
canes cut into your flesh."

"Oh yes, sir; that was at first. But when that Frenchie came in he told
the Malay chaps to untie 'em, so that I could wait upon you--and
precious glad I was."

"But how did you manage to see to give me the water?"

"I couldn't in the night, sir; but I can now.--It's no use to tell the
poor chap that it's quite light, for he's all puzzled-like yet," thought
the private. Then aloud, "I'd just go to sleep a bit now, sir, if I was
you."

"What for?"

"Rest your head, sir. You will feel a deal better when you wake again,
and perhaps see a bit clearer."

"Perhaps you are right, Pete," said Archie, with a sigh; "but I am
better now. Most of the pain seems to be gone."

"Good luck to you, sir! I wish mine had, for there are times when I
seem as if I could not think straight."

Archie made no reply, and as the young private watched him he saw that
the poor fellow's eyes were once more closed; and the lad half lay on
the crisp leaves, which rustled loudly at every movement, and mused on
their position.

"One would expect," he said to himself, "that at any minute a company of
our swaddies would be here to fetch us out of this. At the same time,
one ought to be ready to help one's self. Can't do anything, of course,