g a heavy iron
bullet into Jack's brain. Yet, though beset with death on every hand,
Jack struggled on gamely.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

HOW THEY MADE A ROPE.

"He may miss," muttered the plucky English lad to himself. "Anyhow,
I'm not going to let this chap chuck me over here if I can help it."

At this moment an unexpected diversion was made in his favour. The
native woman had crouched stolidly in rear of the combat, until she
saw the Kachin about to empty his weapon into his English foe. Now she
rose swiftly to her feet, a heavy stone in her right hand. Just as the
Kachin was crooking his finger on the trigger she hurled it with all
her force.

It proved the luckiest of shots. The missile struck the stooping man
square on the top of his head and caused him to start violently. As he
did so the jet of smoke and flame spurted from the long barrel and the
bullet sped. But not in the direction he had intended. The muzzle of
the piece was jerked a foot aside, and the wrestler received the
charge full in his body. He gave a convulsive start, then his arm fell
limp, and Jack was free.

Up he sprang, aflame to see what was happening with his father and Me
Dain. Long as his own struggle had seemed, it had only been a matter
of seconds, and Mr. Haydon and the fourth Kachin were still engaged in
fierce sword play. Me Dain and the third man had closed in savage
wrestle, and were trying to find each other's heart with their knives.

Jack whipped up the bar with the speed of thought, and dropped it on
the head of the man with whom his father was engaged. Down went the
Kachin, stunned and helpless. But at that very instant a wild scream
went up from the two struggling figures close at hand. Jack turned his
head to see the last flutter of their garments. The rotten foothold
had given way beneath them, and, held fast in each other's clutch,
they had fallen headlong into the deeps below. Jack and his father
were about to leap forward to see the last of their faithful guide,
when a musket cracked and a bullet flew by their heads. They sprang
back into cover and looked at each other.

"We have lost Me Dain!" cried Jack. "Brave fellow, he has gone,
fighting to the last."

Mr. Haydon nodded gloomily. "It is a cruel, bad business for all of
us," he said.

A profound silence now fell upon the little battlefield. The remaining
Kachins made no further attempt at an assault. Jack peered out very
cautiously to see what they were do