burst of
song which rose from the band of gaily dressed figures which now
swarmed around him. He tried to struggle, to throw off the fearful
grip which held him, but now the dancing girl sprang to him and
pressed against his face a cloth she had drawn from beneath her yellow
robe. Almost at once the powerful drug with which the cloth was
saturated took effect. Jack's head dropped forward, and the dancing
girl nodded to the strangler to loose his frightful clutch.

At that moment Buck looked round and missed his young companion.

"Where's Jack got to?" he asked.

"I don't know," said Jim. "He was looking at a picture just along
there, the last time I saw him."

[Illustration: THE DANCING GIRL]

"I don't see him anywhere about," said Buck, in an uneasy voice, and
he walked rapidly back. He came to the picture, stopped in front of
it, and looked eagerly round for Jack. He saw the band of singers a
short distance away, but took no notice of them. He had seen scores of
such bands during the evening. Little did he dream that, under cover
of those harmless looking revellers, the body of his young comrade was
being dragged among the acacia bushes by the monk and the dancing
girl.

CHAPTER XXI.

JACK FINDS HIMSELF IN BAD HANDS.

When Jack came to himself again, he felt faint and sick, and his head
ached dully. This was the effect of the powerful drug which had been
used to overcome him, but for the rest he was unhurt and quite
himself. He found at once that he was securely bound hand and foot.
His ankles were fastened together by a short cord, his hands were tied
behind him, and a rope ran round the middle of his body and tethered
him securely to a strong post. But he was not gagged, and his eyes
were free.

He looked eagerly around the place in which he found himself. It was a
native hut, built of canes and reeds, woven upon a framework formed of
saplings and stronger trees. The floor was of earth, and he could see
the whole of the bare, empty room, for in one corner a lamp stood on
the floor, and gave sufficient light to show him every nook in the
place. Somewhere, not far away, there was a hoarse roar of water, as
if a river leapt over falls near at hand.

Jack raised his voice and shouted. He could not move, but his throat
was free. Twice or thrice he shouted the names of his companions. The
only answer to his call was a light mocking laugh outside the door,
which swung half open straight before him. Th