ng nimbly up to the quiet room, from
which they expected to fall like thunderbolts upon their unsuspecting
enemies below.

Jack now began to work his way towards the foot of the ladder. He went
very slowly and with the utmost care. At last he paused. The bushes
which had helped the banditti to approach the back of the monastery
unobserved had helped him too, and he was now within ten yards of the
foot of the ladder. He raised himself to one knee and looked intently
over the ground. The last of the climbing dacoits was vanishing
through the window, high above his head, and one stood motionless
below. He, clearly, had been left on guard to keep the foot of the
ladder. Now Jack heard plainly a shuffling and creaking and straining
above. The Kachins were trying to force the door which he had locked
against them.

"Lucky it's a strong door," thought Jack. "It'll keep them busy for a
few minutes. How shall I dispose of this fellow?"

Suddenly the crash and uproar of heavy blows rang out from the room
above. The dacoits had given up trying to force the door quietly, and
were beating it down. This noise gave Jack a chance of a thousand to
carry out his plan. He had slung his rifle over his shoulder. He now
unslung it quickly, clubbed it, and bounded forward. The dacoit at
the foot of the ladder was staring upwards, intent on the doings of
his comrades, when Jack landed without a sound scarce a yard behind
him.

Down came the butt of the rifle with a terrific swing, fair and square
across the skull of the dacoit, who crumpled under the blow and
dropped without a groan. Jack jumped at the ladder, seized it, dragged
it from the window, and flung it among the bushes. The dacoits were
trapped. Then he turned and darted away. He gave a glance at the
window as he ran. As far as he could see, his plan had met with
wonderful success. Not a figure showed at the dark square above; every
man seemed to be taking part in the furious assault on the door.

Now Jack ran for his life. Would the dacoits beat the door down and be
upon them before he could give the word? He flew back to the front and
called in a low, quick tone, "Come on! Come on! I've cleared the
ladder away, and they're trapped above."

"Then we'll be off before they've got the door down," said Jim softly.
"Forward, boys!"

A little procession now streamed swiftly through the doorway and
hurried across the open space which led to the friendly jungle, where
they hoped to