ooked daggers stuck in his rolled-up sarong; and them's just
what I want."

"Yes; but you can't get them, Pete."

"I dunno so much about that, sir. If I get out I might be able to drop
down upon him from the roof and help myself to his tools before he knew
where he was."

"What! murder the sentry?"

"Not me, sir. It's only war now. 'Sides, I won't hurt him if he will
give in quietly. It strikes me that if I could manage to drop down upon
him sudden he would be so scared that he would be ready to cut. But
don't you bother about that, sir. You leave that to me. You have got
nothing to do now but eat and drink and sleep till you are fit to take
command."

As the day wore on the heat of the place grew half-suffocating. They
had both been too ill to notice this at first, but now it grew to be
insufferable.

"I wonder how the sentry stands it," thought the young private; and
taking advantage of the Malay being very quiet--for not so much as a
step had been heard for quite an hour--Peter made a sign to his
companion not to take any notice, and then crossed to the other side of
his prison, and after walking to and fro slowly and quietly a few times,
he raised one foot to a bamboo cross-piece, sprang up, caught at a
second bar, and held on just long enough to get one glance through the
hole, before dropping lightly down again.

"Look at that, now," he muttered, for he had had time to see that the
sentry was squatting down upon his heels, his chin buried in his breast,
and evidently fast asleep. "What a chance if I was outside!" thought
Peter; and he climbed quickly and silently up now to have a good look at
their guard, just in time to see him start up erect and catch hold of
the spear he had leaned against the tree that shaded him.

At the same moment Peter Pegg grasped the fact that the Malay had not
been disturbed by _his_ movements, for he was gazing right away down the
forest path facing the big door.

"It must be somebody coming," thought Peter. "He sleeps like a weasel,
with one eye open."

He had proof the next minute that he was right. The steps became
audible, and a couple more spear-armed men approached; there was a short
whispered conversation, and one of them took the sentry's place.

"Changing guard," muttered Peter, "That's imitation of what they have
seen us do. Wonder whether they are going to carry that on all night."

In due time there was another visit from the party which had broug