nished all the woodmen needed.

By signs Jack was invited to sit down on a big heap of dried grass at
the side of the cave, and one of the men swiftly built a fire and put
on a pot of rice to cook. Soon the simple meal was ready. The
cooking-pot was swung from the fire, and the rice was flavoured with
salt and other condiments; each of the latter articles was contained
in a small neat cylinder of bamboo, and packed away again when done
with in the basket which was the only baggage of the teak-cutters.

Jack was as hungry as a wolf, and he ate heartily of the food which
his new friends offered to him. They were extremely respectful, called
him _phaya_, my lord, the only word of their speech which he could
make out, and did not touch a single grain of rice until he had
finished.

While they ate, Jack rested on the soft, dried grass, and went through
his pockets to see where he stood. Somewhat to his surprise, Jack
found that his captors had relieved him of nothing save his weapons.
His money-belt round his waist, the contents of his pockets, his
watch, everything had been left untouched.

"No," thought Jack, "I don't know what their game was, but it was a
lot bigger thing than just collaring what I had about me. However,
it's lucky my money's left. It's bound to be useful even in the
jungle. If I can only get these fellows to lead me to a village, I can
find a guide to put me on the road towards joining Buck and Jim
again."

The thought of Buck and Jim turned Jack's thoughts towards them, and
their surprise and consternation when they found that he was missing.

"What will they do, I wonder," thought Jack. "They'll never in the
world be able to discover what's become of me. I must try and hit a
line back towards them as soon as possible."

His eyes now turned on the Panthays, busily devouring the last of
their rice.

"How can I talk to these chaps?" thought Jack. "I'll give them a tip.
They've done me a first-rate good turn. Perhaps they'll be willing to
do more if they see there's something to be got by it."

He drew a handful of rupees from his belt, and gave them five each.
The woodmen stared in astonishment at so much wealth, fingering the
big silver coins with childlike wonder and delight. Then they bent
before Jack, and made him at least a score of deep obeisances, and
poured forth floods of thanks. Jack did not understand their words,
but their movements told all they wished to convey.

Each tucked his