gns to him to make his way to the foot of the perpendicular wall
of rock beneath me. I then unwound the turban, whose length was, I
knew, amply sufficient to reach to the bottom, and then looked round for
something to write on. I had my pencil still in my trousers pocket, but
not a scrap of paper.

"I picked up a flattish piece of rock and wrote on it, 'Get a rope
ladder quickly, I can haul it up. Ten men in garrison. They are all
under cover. Keep on firing to distract their attention.'

"I tied the stone to the end of the turban, and looked over. A
noncommissioned officer of the police was already standing below. I
lowered the stone; he took it, waved his hand to me, and was gone.

"An hour passed: it seemed an age. The round shots still rang overhead,
and the fire was now much more heavy and sustained than before.
Presently I again saw a movement in the jungle, and Norworthy's face
appeared, and he waved his arm in greeting.

"Five minutes more and a party were gathered at the foot of the rock,
and a strong rope was tied to the cloth. I pulled it up. A rope ladder
was attached to it, and the top rung was in a minute or two in my hands.
To it was tied a piece of paper with the words: 'Can you fasten the
ladder?' I wrote on the paper: 'No; but I can hold it for a light
weight.'

"I put the paper with a stone in the end of the cloth, and lowered
it again. Then I sat down, tied the rope round my waist, got my feet
against two projections, and waited. There was a jerk, and then I felt
someone was coming up the rope ladder. The strain was far less than I
expected, but the native policeman who came up first did not weigh half
so much as an average Englishman. There were now two of us to hold. The
officer in command of the police came up next, then Norworthy, then
a dozen more police. I explained the situation, and we mounted to the
upper level. Not a soul was to be seen. Quickly we advanced and took up
a position to command the door of the underground chamber; while one
of the police waved a white cloth from his bayonet as a signal to the
gunners to cease firing. Then the officer hailed the party within the
cave.

"'Sivajee Punt! you may as well come out and give yourself up! We are in
possession, and resistance is useless!'

"A yell of rage and surprise was heard, and the Dacoits, all desperate
men, came bounding out, firing as they did so. Half of their number
were shot down at once and the rest, after a short, sh